When Destiny Calls: Imperfect Cell Saga
by SailorStar9
Summary: Book Three of 'When Destiny Calls'.
1. Prologue: Seized With Fear

SailorStar9:This is the start of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: The episode begins, when Yamcha, Krillin, Gohan, Chi-Chi, Ami and Trunks are bringing Goku to Master Roshii's place in a Capsule Corp. aircraft. Trunks is on the phone with Bulma as she says, "A man in the mountains has found some sort of ship that has the Capsule Corporation Logo on it. He called here asking if he could keep it. I was wondering if you could see if you recognize this it." Bulma faxes a picture of it to them. Krillin takes it from the fax and hands it to the time-travelers. Trunks tells Bulma, "Yeah, this is my time machine." The picture shows a time machine covered in moss with an immense hole in it. Trunks decides that they should go check it out and says that they'll meet Bulma there. Trunks leaves the aircraft with Ami and Gohan to go and check it out. When they get to the area they decide they should go and look around for it. Gohan, Ami and Trunks split up and they start looking. Gohan is the first to find the time machine and he calls for the other two. The trio wait for Bulma. When Bulma arrives they decide to do more further investigating. Trunks opens up the capsule to the time machine he has in his pocket and decides to point out the similarities. On both of the machines is a message from Bulma in the future and that this is really his time machine. Inside the machine they find an egg shell that is split in half and on both of the halves are pink with little bumps. The rim of the two shells, which is where they connect, is yellow. Trunks decides that he should put the ship in its capsule, and so Trunks bends down and pushes a button near the bottom of the machine. There is a small explosion and the machine is back in its capsule. The four try to determine where this shell might have come from, but they don't draw up a conclusion. Then Gohan sees something unusual in the distance. He informs the other three about what he sees and they all go to find out what it is, and when they get there they are shocked to see what it is. They find that it is the skin of a huge bug. An unusual type of bug. Trunks put his hands into the sliced opening in his back, and he is disgusted to find that it is still warm and wet. There is all of this pink liquid all over Trunks' hand. "Whatever it was that just shed its skin couldn't have gotten far.", Trunks says. They decide that they all should go to Master Roshii's house and meet up with everyone. Bulma decides that she should take the shell and do more investigating. And thus ends this episode of Dragon Ball Z.

Prologue: Seized With Fear

* * *

"Does she know the exact location of of where this photo was taken?" Ami went into 'Earth Princess' mode.

"She asks if you know exactly where this time machine is?" Krillin conveyed.

"It doesn't say exactly." Bulma looked at the envelope. "But I think it has to be somewhere around 1050 West. Are you going?"

"Yes, I'd like to see this with my own eyes." Trunks replied.

"Well, I'm go too, it's not too far from here." Bulma declared.

"Understood." Ami nodded.

"See you later." Bulma ended the call.

"You're sure there's only one time machine, then?" Yamcha confirmed.

"Yes, positive." Trunks replied.

"Um..." Gohan voiced. "I'll go looking with you. Is it okay that I come?"

"Gohan!" Chi-Chi protested.

"It's okay, Mother." Gohan assured his mother. "We aren't going anywhere dangerous, so you needn't worry."

"That ain't it!" Chi-Chi snapped. "You're in the middle of studying." causing everyone to facefault.

"I'll do it all when I come back." Gohan assured.

"We can _definitely_ get used to this timeline." Ami chuckled.

"Agreed." Trunks grinned, helping her up.

Opening the hatch, the three took off.

* * *

"Um, Trunks, in the future, you say your future was really devastated, because those two Androids." Gohan voiced.

"Yes, the world's population has been reduced to several tens of thousands." Trunks confirmed. "Most of Metro West lies in a state of ruin. Somehow, we managed to survive by hiding in secret underground bases."

"That bad?" Gohan blinked. "I sure hope we can find some weakness in the Androids."

"Yeah." Trunks agreed. "There was this time, the two Androids went against Dr. Gero. But he was so far in the corner by then, he had no choice but to use them. In the end, he was killed by them. However, Dr. Gero must have determined how dangerous they were, using progressively riskier tests. I think he might have had some kind of device to shut them down in an emergency. If he hadn't, do you think he would have reactivated them?

"Of course, that must be it." Gohan beamed.

"There's a slim possibility..." Trunks let out a smirk.

"I know that smile." Ami prodded. "You're plotting something."

"Section 1050 West should be under us." Trunks referred to his navigator.

"Let's start looking." Gohan suggested.

The two half-Saiyans hovered over the plains as Ami found a spot to land and expanded her Divine Ki. In no time at all, a bunch of forest animals responded to her call.

"Chirp!" came a bird's cry as it landed on her finger.

"Twitter, twitter." this came from a pack of squirrels on the grass.

A pair of hares nuzzled her leg, causing the 'Terra Princess' to kneel and use her psychometry on the two rabbits. "Thank you." she smiled, after receiving the information she needed.

"Boys, I've found it." Ami called to the two half-Saiyans in the air.

"That's great." Trunks noted as both he and Gohan landed.

"Okay, chibi-chans, lead the way." Ami told the rabbits and the hares pounced off.

"Way to find it." Trunks looked at the abandoned time machine.

"Thank you, chibi-chans." Ami gave the two hares a kiss on the forehead each and released them.

"Must be Bulma. I'll go and bring her here." Gohan declared, the trio hearing the plane. "I'll lead her down here."

"Guess I'm rubbing off you." Ami joked, as Trunks played with a group of squirrels.

"I think they're here for you, more than for me." Trunks admitted, handing a squirrel another hazelnut.

"Sweet-talker." Ami accused playfully.

"Oh, hush it." Trunks grinned, claiming her lips in a soft kiss.

"Hi, Trunks!" Bulma called. "It's your beautiful mother!"

"Indeed." Trunks blinked.

"Well?" Bulma prodded. "Let me know what you think, seeing your mom all young like this."

"It's just... Mom, you don't really change that much." Trunks flushed as Ami stifled a giggle.

"I don't change?" Bulma blinked. "That means that I'll keep my beauty for decades to come. I hope no one blames me for it."

"More to the point," Trunks stated. "Please take at this." he opened the capsule that held his time machine and released it beside the aged time machine. "This is the time machine we came in, and had reduced to a capsule." he state.

"Gee, then there's no way this older one could be yours." Bulma noted.

"Not exactly." Trunks corrected. "You only built one time machine in the future. This is also the very same time machine we used to come back in."

"No way." Bulma gasped.

"Look at this." Trunks removed the moss on the older machine's leg.

"'Hope'." Bulma blinked at the word.

"Yeah, these are the letters you wrote here when we took off." Trunks noted. "Naturally, they appear on the other time machine as well."

"But how can that be?" Bulma wondered. "It looks like this one has been here for quite a while."

Flying up, both Trunks and Gohan was stunned to see the cover was melted off.

"Hm?" Gohan blinked. "This hole is strange. It's like the glass melted from the intense heat. But this hole is made from the inside."

"So what?" Bulma inquired. "Was anyone inside this one?"

"In any event, let's open this up." Trunks stated. "Excuse me." and opened the hatch. He then jumped into the cockpit, finding two shells, one on the driver's seat, "There's one here too." he spotted the other beside the control panel.

"What's that you've got?" Gohan blinked. "It doesn't appear to be a coconut."

"What?" Bulma reached out. "Say, give us a look."

"Here." Gohan handed the shells over.

Taking the two shells, she placed them together.

"No doubt about it" Ami concluded. "This is some kind of eggshell."

"Eggshell?" Gohan echoed. "If that's an egg, I've never seen another egg like it."

"Trunks?" Ami blinked, sensing his change in demeanor.

"Do you suppose that whatever made that hole hatched from the egg?" Gohan wondered.

Trunks leapt into the cockpit and looked down at the energy detector, "The energy reserves are almost one zero. It came here from… Age 7...? That's three years later than the time we left." he gasped. "Three more years into the future. It arrived in this era..."

"Nearly four years ago." Ami finished his sentence. "Pluto's _really_ going to have my head."

"This arrived here fully a year before we appeared the first time." Trunks ranted. "What could have come back in here, and for what purpose? Could this be the reason history has changed so drastically"

* * *

At Master Roshii's house...

And that's how it went." Krillin finished.

"All that happened, huh?" Master Roshii noted.

"It'd be great if Goku were able to get better before they come looking here." Krillin admitted.

"All we can do now is pray that he does." Master Roshii admitted.

"Just a minute." Oolong voiced. "If the Androids are after Goku, won't this house be the very next place they come looking?"

"Yeah, probably so." Yamcha agreed.

"So, doesn't that make this place the next most dangerous place on Earth?" Oolong panicked. "I got not patience for being in harm's way."

"Hey, I'm still here, you know." Master Roshii reminded. "I won't be defeated by them so easily right, Krillin?"

"And I just supposed to rely on you, then?" Oolong deathpanned.

"What did you dare say?" Master Roshii snapped. "I am still Master Roshii, spoken as the God of Martial Arts! I've even won the Tenkaichi Tournament, you know! "

"That all happened a long time ago!" Oolong argued. "Now, you're simply a lecherous old man! You plan on defeating the Androids with lechery?"

* * *

In the forest...

"You know, I really am a genius." Bulma boasted. "I built a time machine in the future, after all."

"In any case, we can't just leave these time machines sitting around." Ami noted.

"For now**,** let's turn them into capsules." Trunks agreed and returned the older machine into its capsule form.

"I'll return this on to a capsule." Gohan offered.

"Yes, please do." Trunks noted as Gohan reverted his time machine back into its capsule state.

"I'll take this strange eggshell with me." Bulma added.

"Yes, be my guest." Ami nodded.

"Bulma," Gohan voiced. "The rest of us, we've gotten together at Master Roshii's home."

"The Kame House?" Bulma echoed. "How come?"

"Long story short, 3 Androids have been activated." Gohan replied. "And are aiming for my Father's life. But since, Father is down with his illness, in his state, they took him there and hid him from them."

"Well, why don't the whole lot of you just get together and put them away?" Bulma wondered.

"You must be kidding!" Trunks snapped. "Dad, myself, Piccolo, and Tien, all took them on, but we were powerless against them."

"Wow, they really must be incredible." Bulma noted. "How's Vegeta? Is he alright? Did Vegeta go to the Kame House with you?"

"He survived with the help of a Senzu Bean." Trunks replied. "But Dad didn't join with us. He went off somewhere else."

"That's just like him." Bulma chuckled. "What's it?" she blinked when Ami walked off.

"Just as I feared. I was really hoping my senses were wrong." Ami sighed, her voice trembling in obvious fear as she walked over to a rock.

The other three looked at her.

_Has your link with the Earth grown this strong, Ami?_ Trunks wondered.

"There." she added, pointing to empty shell on the ground.

Everyone else followed her finger.

"What's that?" Bulma gasped in shock.

They had found Imperfect Cell's moulted shell.

"It's huge." Trunks gaped. "What made this?"

"Is it dead?" Bulma stammered.

"It isn't dead." Ami corrected. "It's a shell that's been cast off."

"A shell?" Bulma echoed. "You mean the cicadas grow this big around here?"

"There are not cicadas like this." Gohan corrected. "Could this be..."

"Probably." Trunks nodded. "This is from whatever came out of the egg back in the time machine."

"Yeah, it must have started growing and then shed its skin." Gohan agreed.

"What does this mean?" Bulma wondered. "What could have possibly come out of a skin like this?"

"I don't know." Gohan admitted. "I've never seen anything like this."

"But, how did it come to be here?" Trunks wondered. "Who could have sent this egg back through time? For that matter, someone could have come back with this egg as well. I don't have any idea what's going on anymore. Whatever came out of here, it must have just barely happened." he concluded, reaching into the shell to find that it was still warm _and_ wet.

"What do you think?" Bulma mused, as she climbed back into her craft. "In all honestly, you've got a bad feeling about this too?"

"Yes." Trunks confirmed.

"Well, I guess I should get out of here." Bulma remarked. "You guys will be at the Kame House, right? If anything happens, I'll be in touch."

"Right." Gohan nodded.

"Trunks, if you get the time, come visit." Bulma called before she took off. "Grandpa and grandma will love it!"

_What exactly is happening now?_ Trunks mused as he and Gohan headed off to Master Roshii's place, Ami having separated off to Kami's Lookout. _I don't know. I absolutely don't know._

* * *

At Kami's Lookout...

"Still peeping down on the lower realm?" Piccolo inquired. "Can't say I approve of your little pastime. I guess that ability will likely disappear once you become one with me. Enjoy it now, while you still can."

"So, the uneasiness I've felt in my heart these 4 years." Kami mused.

"You sensed it too, Kami." Ami stated, appearing before the aged Guardian in her full-winged glory.

"Yes." Kami replied."It was not the result of the Androids after all. I'm not sure what it is either. What did come back in that time machine?"

"What?" Piccolo echoed.

"All I know is that there is a life form down on Earth somewhere, one the possesses an even greater power than even the Androids." Ami finished, landing on the platform as she kept her wings.

"What are you talking about?" Piccolo demanded. "Tell me what's going on?"

"To be sure, the day when I turn to Piccolo and for the sake of my office as Kami, and we stand together as one has finally arrived." Kami declared.

"Very soon now..." Ami prophesied. "Very soon now, something terrible will happen to Earth. This is not the kind of crisis Earth has faced so many times before. I have a hopelessly dreadful feeling about this."

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 1: The Reunion.


	2. The Reunion

SailorStar9:This is Chapter 1 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: It starts out with Kami trying to resist Piccolo's demands for fusion. Later, the gang is at Master Roshii's house with Goku still suffering from his heart disease. Everyone has gathered around the TV watching the horrible events occurring in Ginger Town. The screen is going bad.

Later, the Androids are still in hot pursuit for Goku. Kami senses the events in Ginger Town and tells Piccolo that it's far worse than the Androids. Mr. PoPo tells Kami not to fuse with Piccolo but he says that there is no other way and it must be done. Piccolo puts his hand on Kami's chest and the fusion begins. Kami screams as if he were dying and there is a cloud of smoke in the air. When it clears, Kami's staff is on the ground and Kami is no more. He has fused permanently with Piccolo. Mr. PoPo starts crying and says goodbye to Kami, but Piccolo/Kami says: "I am no longer Kami or Piccolo... I am the Namek who has long since forgotten his name." He then leaves the Lookout and Korin thinks: "Goodbye old friend." Piccolo/Kami flies to Ginger Town only to see a bunch of clothes lying on the ground.

Chapter 1: The Reunion

* * *

In the air...

"Trunks," Gohan voiced. "Trucks!" he called.

"Er, yes?" Trunks snapped out of his musings.

"What do you suppose that strange shedding was, anyhow?" Gohan inquire.

"I don't know." Trunks admitted. "For one thing, we don't have creatures like that in my era, either."

"You said that it came back a whole year earlier than the time your arrived, 3 years ago, which makes it a full 4 years ago that it arrived in this era, right?" Gohan reasoned.

"Yeah." Trunks confirmed. "That's what the chronometer inside the time machine indicated."

"So, without anyone realizing it, a creature that came from a good 23 years into the future has been growing and developing on our Earth for the last 4 years." Gohan stated.

"Yeah." Trunks replied. "Who could possibly have sent that creature and for what purpose?

* * *

In her plane...

"We interrupt this program to bring you this late breaking news." the newscaster stated over the radio. "About an hour ago, we took a number of calls from Gingertown, a suburban are of Metro West. We immediately dispatched an investigative crew to the scene, but according to their report, the town's citizens seem to have suddenly vanished and there is no sign of anyone."

"Gingertown?" Bulma echoed.

"The cause for this unexpected state of affairs is currently under investigation as we..." the newscaster continued.

"That's near where that other time machine was." Bulma gasped. "Can it be?"

* * *

At Kame House...

"Yes, hello?" Krillin took the call.

"Hello?" Bulma voiced over the other end. "It's Bulma. Who's this? Krillin?"

"Yes, it's Krillin." Krillin confirmed. "Gohan and Trunks? No, they haven't come back yet."

"Okay, turn on your TV there." Bulma instructed. "It's probably on every channel by now, but I'm watching it on Channel 872."

"Has something happened?" Krillin wondered.

"Just hurry!" Bulma snapped.

"What's the matter?" Yamcha inquired when Krillin switched on the TV. "Who is it?"

"It's Bulma." Krillin replied. "She wants us to watch TV."

"What is she telling us to watch?" Master Roshii asked.

"Knowing Bulma, she's probably on right now." Oolong suggested.

"Could be." Yamcha joked.

"We've just received some new information." the newscaster added. "According to the investigation of our on-the-scene crew, the clothing of the apparent victims of this incident is being discovered in great numbers. Our camera crew has just arrived in the area, so let's go there for a live update."

"What could this be?" Master Roshii wondered.

"I've just arrived here in Gingertown." the broadcaster took over. "Where over 15000 residents have suddenly vanished. We have made a new discovery."

"15000 people..." Yamcha gasped.

"There are many sets of clothing here." the broadcaster continued. "It appears as if the people inside them simply melted away. As you can see in these images, from the layout of the clothing and the presence of the rifles, it appears that they were fighting against something."

"What's this..." Master Roshii gaped.

"The Androids!" Krillin concluded. "So, they've finally started."

"I don't think so." Bulma corrected. "And I think that Gohan and Trunks will say the same thing."

"Which means, you think there might be some kind of link to the other time machine?" Krillin caught her implication.

"I don't think there could be any doubt." Bulma agreed. "When Gohan and Trunks get there, have them tell you everything."

"Right." Krillin ended the call.

"Goku's sleeping tightly now." Chi-Chi informed. "He seems to be resting a lot easier than before."

"Master Roshii!" Gohan called when he and Trunks arrived. "Forgive the intrusion. Uh, Krillin?" he blinked when he noticed everyone's attention was centered on the TV screen.

"Guys, come watch this news, then answer me a question." Krillin stated.

"News?" Gohan echoed.

"What's this?" the broadcaster's attention was diverted to a series of screams. "We heard a scream just a moment ago. Gunfire! We're hearing gunfire. It appears that the investigative team or the police in this direction is agitated. It's become quiet once again. We're going to move in as close as we can see..." before he stopped his broadcast, mouth agape. Seconds later, the screen fizzled out.

* * *

In Kami's Lookout...

"What is it?" Piccolo demanded, seeing Ami and Kami's similar shocked expressions. "What is happening? Come on!

"Kami-sama..." Mr. PoPo gasped. "Hime-sama..."

"What is it?" Kami gaped in horror. "What is that monster?"

"Did you say monster?" Piccolo echoed. "What do you mean monster? Say something!"

* * *

At Kame House...

"What?" Master Roshii found his voice.

"Change to a different channel." Yamcha suggested.

"Right." Krillin fiddled with the controls and a series of screams were heard on air. "The screaming has stopped..." he blinked after the screams halted.

* * *

In Kami's Lookout...

"Enough already!" Piccolo barked. "Stop keeping it to yourselves. You're going to tell me exactly what you saw. Hey!"

"Very well." Ami sighed.

"Alright, start talking." Piccolo's patience was wearing thin. "What kind of monster did you see in the lower realm?"

"There's no need for me to bother speaking." Kami stated.

"What's that?" Piccolo challenged. "Once you and I merge to become one being, you'll know what it is we saw."

"Kami-sama!" Mr. PoPo gasped.

"So, you've finally made up your mind, then?" Piccolo smirked. "You must have seen some kind of monster, alright."

"Let's hurry this up." Kami urged. "We cannot allow there to be any more victims."

"Alright." Piccolo decided and Kami dropped his staff. "We will be fundamentally based on who I am right now, got it?"

"That will be fine." Kami conceded. "You are much younger than I and have a far greater power. It is a matter of course. I serve as nothing more than a means to power up, and too contribute my vast wisdom. Now since you are to be the base, you will place your hand upon me."

"Right." Piccolo agreed.

"Kami-sama!" Mr. PoPo exclaimed when Piccolo rested a palm on Kami's chest.

"The time is upon us, Mr. PoPo." Kami told his servant. "Right now what the Earth needs is not a Kami, but, rather the mighty. Piccolo has changed. The evil in his heart has mostly disappeared. Once we merge, it is unlikely we will ever need to divide again. Thank you for all your help, Mr. PoPo." he soothed the weeping genie. "I'm leaving Hime-sama in your hands."

"Kami-sama!" Mr. PoPo wept.

With a war cry, Kami re-merged himself into Piccolo.

"Farewell, Kami-sama." Mr. PoPo teared. "Don't die."

"He is neither Kami nor Piccolo any longer, Mr. PoPo." Ami corrected. "He is a Namekian who has long since forgotten his real name."

"But not his duty." the nameless Namekian knelt before his Princess.

"Welcome back." Ami smiled the re-merged Namekian before her.

"So then, I'm off." the nameless Namekian informed his Princess and flew off.

* * *

At Kame House...

"We have no further reports from the scene." the camera was switched back to the recording studio. "In all likelihood, our own staff members have become victims of this same incident."

"So, you think it's because of whatever monster came out of that shell, then?" Krillin looked at the two half-Saiyans.

"Yeah, probably." Trunks confirmed. "That's what I think. The locations are pretty close, and all. I'm going to make sure."

"Whoa!" Yamcha voiced.

"Hold it!" Krillin warned.

"It's okay." Trunks assured. "I can become a Super Saiyan. The ones we should really be fearful off are the Androids."

"Maybe so, but..." Krillin protested.

"I'm going too!" Gohan stated.

"You can't go!" Chi-Chi screamed. "Goku is sleeping up there! Why can't you behave a little better?"

"Mother, it's exactly because Father is sick that I..." Gohan defended.

"No way!" Chi-Chi insisted. "Even if the whole Universe is blowing up, you'll stay at my side!"

"You mean..." Gohan complained.

"I'll go by myself." Trunks cut in. "Gohan, if anything happens, you and the others have to be here to protect Goku from the Androids."

"Right." Gohan relented. "Very well."

"Hey, don't do anything crazy." Krillin cautioned. "If it gets dangerous, come back here quick, okay?"

"Yeah, he's right." Yamcha agreed. "You're an important part of our resistance force against the Androids."

"Right." Trunks smiled. "Now then, I'll be back." and he took off.

* * *

In Gingertown...

Piccolo had arrived at the devastated town. Walking along the streets, he became aware of something or someone watching him, as the shadow of Imperfect Cell emerged from the buildings. Absorbing two more human beings, he appeared behind Piccolo.

"So, you've shown yourself, you beast." Piccolo stated.

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 2: Borrowed Powers.


	3. Borrowed Powers

SailorStar9:This is Chapter 2 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: Cell has ensured a messy end for many in Gingertown. One such instance is even witnessed by Piccolo. Being next, obviously, isn't on his agenda. Cell, of course, 'insists' and the fight is soon on. Piccolo's new power gets tested, and he does rather well. However, Cell not only has power of his own, but he also has powers of others. Can Piccolo overcome an arsenal of moves from himself and his fellow Z Fighters?

Chapter 2: Borrowed Powers

* * *

"What's this?" Piccolo gasped. "What sort of Ki am I sensing from him? Impossible! How can it be?"

* * *

At Kami's Lookout...

"Mr. PoPo scared." Mr. PoPo muttered. "Kami-sama and Piccolo united, got strong. But still feel he not able to defeat monster. Kami-sama..." he picked up Kami's staff.

"I sense it too, Mr. PoPo." Ami agreed, having retrieved her Holy Spear from the statue that was camouflaged as her armor.

* * *

In Gingertown...

"The next one to end up like this will be you." Cell declared, having drained a civilian of his bodily liquids before he faced Piccolo. "Piccolo Daimao." and flared up his Ki.

"What?" Piccolo was stunned. "What's this?"

* * *

In the Kame House...

"What's the matter, Gohan?" Krillin asked.

"I can feel Piccolo's Ki, but twice over." Gohan gasped

"Eh?" Yamcha echoed. "Piccolo's?"

"What's this?" Krillin gaped in shock.

* * *

At Kami's Lookout...

_So, it has started._ Ami thought. _Be careful everyone._

* * *

In Gingertown...

"Who are you?" Piccolo demanded. "Why do you know the name, Piccolo?"

"I am your brother." Cell replied.

"What?" Piccolo growled.

In the Kame House...

"Hey, what's going on?" Krillin wondered as he, Gohan and Yamcha dashed out of the house. "This Ki..."

"It's Frieza's and his father's Ki as well." Gohan recognized.

"I can feel others too." Master Roshii added.

* * *

Over the ocean...

"Piccolo, Frieza, and his father, and now Dad!" Trunks recognized the assorted number of Ki auras. "So many Ki, gathers in one spot.

* * *

Elsewhere...

"What's going on here?" even Vegeta sensed the numerous amount of Ki signatures. "This is impossible!"

* * *

At Kame House...

"We're feeling them, alright." Yamcha confirmed.

"But this cannot be happening." Master Roshii noted. "Frieza and his father are supposed to be dead.

"This direction..." Krillin trailed.

"It's coming from the direction of Gingertown where those incidents were reported." Gohan added.

"That's impossible!" Master Roshii gawked in astonishment, the other three fighters gaping in shock.

"Now, there's even Goku's Ki..." Yamcha was stunned.

"Father is definitely sleeping up here." Gohan peered through the attic window.

* * *

Over the ocean...

"Sector 1051 West." Trunks checked his coordinates. "Right near where the egg and carapace were located. There's no doubt about it now."

* * *

In Gingertown...

"Now then, what exactly are you?" Piccolo demanded. "Tell me! Let's have it all!"

"That won't be necessary." Cell replied. "See, you are about to become my meal."

"So, you don't intend on telling me then." Piccolo concluded. "In that event, I'll just have to squeeze the life out of you, not knowing more than I already do."

"Does Piccolo Daimao plan on killing me, then?" Cell taunted.

"For whatever reason, you apparently know who Piccolo is." Piccolo remarked. "However..." he powered up. "However, unfortunately for you, you're mistaking me for him."

"What?" Cell demanded. "I'm mistaking you for him, you say? Are you saying you're not Piccolo Daimao?"

"That's what I'm saying." Piccolo confirmed.

* * *

Over the ocean...

"Thank goodness, I made it." Krillin had caught up with Trunks. "You may be everything you are, but this unknown enemy may be too dangerous for even you."

"There's another incredibly powerful Ki." Trunks added. "Someone else has appeared."

"Yeah, just now." Krillin agreed.

"Just what exactly is going on?" Trunks wondered.

"That has to be Piccolo!" Krillin beamed in realization.

"But isn't this Ki too far different from Piccolo's Ki?" Trunks pointed out.

"Awesome man!" Krillin was astonished. "He really has united!"

"United?" Trunks echoed. "With Kami like you were saying? They're back together now, after having been apart?"

"Right." Krillin confirmed. "And since Piccolo was so incredibly strong to begin with and all, this is the Ki of the Super Namekian!"

"This is amazing." Trunks gaped. "He was able to power up that much?"

* * *

In Gingertown...

"Your having extinguished all the people of this city actually works in my favor." Piccolo remarked.

"What's that?" Cell demanded. "What do you mean by that?"

"It means I can do all-out." Piccolo replied.

"What?" Cell's eyes widened at the sudden influx of energy. Realizing Piccolo was charging up, he defended himself.

Piccolo released a beam of energy, totally blowing Cell away.

* * *

Over the ocean...

"That shockwave just now..." Trunks trailed, he and Krillin were stunned by the immense energy wave.

"Over there." Krillin noticed the bright light. "It's started."

* * *

In Gingertown...

After pulling himself out of the rubble, Cell was faced with a charging Piccolo, and was about to defend himself from the pending attack when the Namekian pulled away, attacking the green Android from behind. Dodging the second assault, Cell took to the skies and fired an energy beam from his fingers which Piccolo deflected away.

"That was..." Piccolo recognized the attack as Cell charged at him, the two adversaries tangling in a fist-to-fist fight in the air. Dodging Cell's final punch, Piccolo sent him crashing to the ground. "So, that's all you've got, is it?" he inquired, upon landing. "I had sized you up as quite an abominable monster, and it looks like I was right."

"You do pretty well yourself." Cell noted. "No matter that I have not achieved my 'Invincible Form' yet."

"'Invincible Form'?" Piccolo echoed. "You don't mean... so that's why you've been preying on these people!"

"I take them as the energy of life for myself." Cell replied.

"Answer this!" Piccolo barked. "Who was it that sent you to this era in that time machine? Some ally of yours?"

"I was the one who sent me." Cell grinned. "That time machine was too small for this body, you see. I had to revert myself back to my egg form in order to fit. In any case, it surprises me that you even know about me and the time machine. But, I doubt you already know about this." he readied the classic Kamehameha pose.

"No way, it can't be right." Krillin gasped as he and Trunks neared the battlefield.

"It's Goku's Ki again!" Trunks added.

"Kamehame...!" Cell readied the attack.

"Impossible!" Piccolo gasped in shock.

* * *

In the Kame House...

"Father..." Gohan muttered.

* * *

In Gingertown...

"How can this be?" Piccolo gaped.

"Ha!" Cell finished the attack cry and released the energy.

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 3: His Name is Cell.


	4. His Name is Cell

SailorStar9: This is Chapter 3 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: A fleet of tanks roll into Ginger town to destroy the new threat, but Cell quiets the army's attempt with one swift blow. Now it's up to Piccolo to stop the monster, and his chances look slim. As the Namek struggles to survive, Cell takes the opportunity to introduce himself! He's actually an android, infused with the cells of the greatest fighters on Earth, the ultimate achievement of Dr. Gero! He also explains how the samples were gathered, through use of a inconspicuous robotic fly which followed Goku throughout his lifetime dating back from Dragon Ball! Ever since the first Martial Arts Tournament, where Goku and Piccolo met for the first time, Dr. Gero had been gathering specimens for his perfect creation! Cell is a living copy of the Z fighters attacks and abilities. How can Piccolo have any hope of defeating him?

Chapter 3: His Name is Cell

_

* * *

It's the real thing!_ Piccolo realized as the attack clashed into him. Barely escaping from the blast, Piccolo took to the skies, only to have Cell grab onto him from behind.

"Your life is mine!" Cell declared and drilled his tail into Piccolo's arm. "I struck your arm, did I?" he taunted. "The outcome is still the same. I will take your powerful life's essence from you."

"Still, who could it be that Piccolo is fighting, anyhow?" Krillin wondered.

"I don't think there's any mistaking that it's the monster that hatched after riding back in my time machine." Trunks concluded.

"Why do you suppose that thing has Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, not to mention Frieza and his father's Ki?" Krillin inquired.

"Why indeed." Trunks agreed.

"Damn!" Krillin cursed. "Just what exactly is going on?"

* * *

In Kame's House...

"Goku is getting just about over it, huh?" Chi-Chi hovered over her husband.

"Isn't that great, Mother?" Gohan smiled.

"Goku?" Chi-Chi blinked when Goku stretched himself.

"Father!" Gohan gaped as Goku fell back to sleep.

"Huh?" Chi-Chi peered.

"He's gone back to sleep." Gohan noted. "But he should be opening his eyes soon, right?"

"Yup!" Chi-Chi agreed.

"I'm going to tell Oolong and the others." Gohan remarked. "Guys!" he ran down the stairs.

"We have received word that currently the armed forces at Metro West have at length commenced an emergency mobilization towards Gingertown." the newscaster reported.

"Armed forces?" Gohan blinked.

"In consideration of the safety of the neighboring districts, it is hoped this will allow area citizens some peace of mind." the newscaster added.

"It would be nice if there were no more casualties." Master Roshii noted.

"This information just in: Please watch, as we have images of one of the tank divisions as they head towards the scene." the newscaster received an update. "The images, please." he requested. "Currently, we seem to have trouble connecting with our remote unit." he stated after the camera did not shift. "Ah, they're waiting? We appear to be connected." and the camera switched over to the battle zone.

* * *

In Gingertown...

"That's him!" the squad leader looked through his binoculars. "Hey, you up there!" he hollered over the loudspeaker. "You are completely surrounded! Surrender yourself without any useless resistance!"

"You dare interrupt my meal?" Cell demanded, destroying a tank with his laser eye beams.

"Dammit!" the leader cursed. "Attack! Attack!" he gave the order and the army rained their missiles at Cell. "We got him!" he grinned after the smoke cleared and Cell was nowhere to be seen.

"He's still alive!" a soldier shouted.

"What?" the leader demanded.

"You miserable cockroaches!" Cell glared down at the army, having moved out of harm's way.

"Dammit!" the leader growled. "Fire Missiles!"

Using his telekinesis, Cell stopped the missiles in mid-air, causing them to drop onto the army and demolishing the entire squadron with one shot. "That was quite the annoyance." he noted. "So then, shall we continue the meal?"

* * *

At Kami's Lookout...

Both Ami and Mr. PoPo felt a chill.

"Kami-sama..." Mr. PoPo dropped his watering can.

"Piccolo, hang in there." Ami prayed.

* * *

In Gingertown...

With a knock to Cell's face with the back of his head, Piccolo forced Cell to relinquish his hold on him and fled to safety.

"You were lucky to get away." Cell chuckled, the two adversaries landing on the ground. "But not having use of one arm, it seems the advantage has been reversed."

"Certainly true." Piccolo admitted. "My balance is quite thrown off by this, making it quite difficult for me. Unfortunately, it would seem you have won.

"Not even you can help admitting when you're beaten!" Cell taunted. "Rejoice! Once I absorb the magnitude of your life's essence, I will have drawn nearer to my 'Invincible Form'."

"'Invincible Form'?" Piccolo echoed.

"You will be of great service to me." Cell declared. "Aren't you glad?"

"Before I am to be absorbed by you, you have to tell me something." Piccolo requested. "What the hell are you? Why is that you have Son Goku, Frieza and everyone's Ki, and are even able to perform the Kamehameha?"

"Very well." Cell straightened. "You're going to die anyway, I'll tell you. My name is Cell. I am an Android."

"Android?" Piccolo echoed.

"I was born of the computer used by Dr. Gero." Cell added.

"Dr. Gero again!" Piccolo cursed.

"A long time ago, Dr. Gero began gathering the cells of the greatest warriors." Cell narrated. "To research how he could synthesize an Android with those cells. However, because it was taking too much time, he gave up on it partway through. But the computer continued its operation. Piccolo... Son Goku... and Vegeta's cells were collected at the battle when Vegeta first came to Earth."

"Hmph, Goku from that period of time, huh?" Piccolo snorted. "That explains why your Kamehameha before wasn't all that great."

"Further, we had the good fortune of obtaining Frieza and his father's cells when they came to Earth." Cell added. "We could have taken the cells of that guy, Trunks as well, but there were already enough from the Saiyans."

"How did you collect the cells?" Piccolo demanded. "There wasn't anyone suspicious there at the time."

"You should have heard this from Gero, how all your actions have been examined via a spy robot." Cell replied. "There is a small robot, similar to myself. No one is likely to have noticed it. That's what took the cells. Take a good look." he pointed to the incoming bug. "It's even here now, relaying the data of our situation back to the computer. It probably wants to take your cells as well."

"You bastard!" Piccolo destroyed the bug with a Ki blast.

"It's too late to destroy it now!" Cell laughed. "The necessary cells have already been collected, and the experiment has begun. Indeed, it will be twenty-four years from now when I will be completed."

"Impossible!" Piccolo barked. "Dr. Gero's laboratory has already been destroyed!"

"There is a room underneath the laboratory where the computer is." Cell rebutted.

"So, that's it." Piccolo realized. "Once you came to this era, why has it taken you 3 years to change from an egg to the way you are?"

"Once I return myself to an egg, I require 3 years underground to mature again." Cell replied. "That's how much time it takes. That's all I have to say. It's about time you let me absorb you."

"One last question!" Piccolo barked. "For what reason did you go to the trouble of coming here from the future?"

"In order for me to become my 'Invincible Form', the absorption of human essences is not enough." Cell replied. "It is necessary for me to merge with 3 essential specialized life forms. The computer has told me that those 3 specialized life forms were the Androids that Dr. Gero had created, No. 17, No. 18, and the Namekian Princess, the only daughter of Porunga, the Namek's Eternal Dragon and Eonar the Lifebinder."

"What?" Piccolo gasped.

"However, in the future where I was, for some reason, perhaps they were defeated by that Trunks guy, I don't know – No. 17 and No. 18 weren't around. And without them, I don't have the capability of absorbing the girl possessing Divine Ki. But luckily for me, Trunks had his time machine. After killing Trunks, I used the time machine to come to this era in search of No. 17 and No. 18."

"Why did you choose this era?" Piccolo demanded.

"Well now, Trunks' time machine was already set for this era." Cell shrugged. "All I did was push the switch. Imagine my glee when I sensed the little girl in this era as well."

_So, that's it._ Piccolo realized. _Trunks must have set the time machine so he could come tell us that somehow, he had destroyed the Androids. And then, he came along..._

"The computer also told me this," Cell added. "Once I become my 'Invincible Form' , I will have a terrible power, far beyond imagination, in the palm of my hand!"

"For what reason?" Piccolo barked. "Why is it you seek to have that much overwhelming power?"

"What reason?" Cell snorted. "You ask such a nonsensical thing! The computer had been input to create a strong being, one to the very limits of its consideration. Or for that matter, it may be what the blood of the Saiyans, Frieza, and Piccolo that flows within me seeks!"

"I get it." Piccolo relented.

"So then, are you satisfied?" Cell mocked.

"My gratitude." Piccolo replied. "Thanks to you, all of the mysteries have now been solved." pulling off his dried up arm, Piccolo let out a cry and regrew the limb. "You've been quite informative."

"You did all that to get me to talk?" Cell stammered.

"I will not allow you to become this 'Invincible Form' of yours." Piccolo declared. "Nor will I allow you to harm the Princess. For you to have inherited my blood and not realize that I could regrow my arm, makes you an idiot."

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 4: Piccolo's Folly.


	5. Piccolo's Folly

SailorStar9:This is Chapter 4 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: In the escalating fight, Cell clearly has the advantage. He even rips off one of Piccolo's arms – crippling him temporarily. Cell delights in toying with him now – even revealing certain secrets about his origins. Every possible ability and good fortune saves Piccolo from becoming his next victim. Krillin and Trunks also show up and meet Cell. He could possibly take them, but he has no time for this. Cell escapes and the three Z Fighters fail to stop him. Also, what is Vegeta doing?

Chapter 4: Piccolo's Folly

_

* * *

What the hell is happening?_ Vegeta mused as he flew towards the battlefield. _What is it?_ As Tien, too, was heading towards Gingertown.

* * *

In Gingertown...

"Cell, even figuring in the arm worth of energy you drew from me, my power is still much greater than yours." Piccolo declared. "Get ready!"

"You sure thought that through." Cell admitted. "To think you would pretend you'd lost one of your arms just to get me to talk. You're quite the clever one, aren't you?"

"That was the wisdom of the one who used to be Kami, not my own." Piccolo stated.

"What?" Cell gasped. _So, that's it!_ He realized. "You're the result of Piccolo and Kami merging together."

"That's right." Piccolo replied. "Heh, you just figured it out?"

_Which means the Dragonballs have also disappeared._ Cell mused. _Once dead, no one can be returned to life. That's rather convenient._ "Then, there's no wonder you're so strong, even though you still look as if you were Piccolo Daimao."

"Hmph, you still do not know my true powers." Piccolo snorted. "I'll show you exhaustively what that true power is and why I was chosen as the one of the Princess' Elite Guards."

"There's no doubt." Krillin looked down at Piccolo as he and Trunks arrived. "He's merged with Kami. Who's that guy over there?"

"That's probably him." Trunks surmised, looking over at Cell. "The monster that came out of that shell."

_Trunks?_ Cell was surprised to see the half-Saiyan. _What's he doing here? I get it. So then, he also came to this era in the time machine? What a fool. That he should be killed by me in the future, only to be killed in this era as well._

"He's a freak!" Krillin gaped. "Is he the one who killed the people of Gingertown?"

"That's right." Piccolo replied. "Watch out for his tail. The people here were killed all by it."

"Why is it that we feel Goku, Tien, and the others' Ki from that guy?" Krillin wondered.

"I'll tell you all about it later." Piccolo answered. "Putting him away comes first."

"Put me away, you say?" Cell taunted. "You think it will be that easy?"

"It spoke!" Krillin stammered.

"Under the circumstances, I don't think you have much chance of winning." Piccolo stated.

"I certainly have no choice but to withdraw from this situation." Cell admitted.

"I'm not letting you get away!" Piccolo growled. "You can't escape by using the sort of Kamehameha you did before!"

"Kamehameha?" Krillin echoed. "How can this guy use Goku's Kamehameha?"

"Not just the Kamehameha, Krillin." Cell added. "If I wanted to, I could probably even form a Genki Dama!"

"I'm stunned." Krillin gaped. "He even knows my name. How? When I tell Goku, I'm sure he'll be surprised too."

"Oh?" Cell noted. "Son Goku is still alive, is he?"

"Of course he is!" Krillin retorted.

_So, he's still alive._ Cell mused. _It appears things are turning out slightly different from the history from I know._ "I will acquire No. 17 and No. 18, no matter what. Then, I'll go after that girl!" and jumped into the air. "No matter how you may try to prevent me from becoming my 'Invincible Form', it will come to nothing! Not as long as the only one that can hope to fight against No. 17 and the others is Piccolo."

"What?" Piccolo growled as Cell readied in Tien's 'Taiyo-Ken' stance.

"That's..." Krillin gaped.

"'Taiyo-Ken'!" Cell released the attack, blinding the three Z Senshi on the ground. With them distracted, he fled the scene.

"Ah, dammit!" Piccolo cursed.

"Damn!" Trunks growled. "He's gotten away!"

"That bastard!" Krillin scowled.

"Krillin!" Piccolo barked. "Wasn't the Taiyo-Ken Tien's technique?"

"The Taiyo-Ken isn't all that difficult a technique." Krillin replied. "Goku and I can do it too."

"Why you...!" Piccolo snapped, and the three hovered in the air to search for the renegade Android. "He's suppressing his Ki dissipation! He can even do that!"

"That was easy!" Cell laughed, putting as much distance away as he could. "I'll never be caught again! So long as I act while controlling my Ki like this, there's no way they could find me."

* * *

In Kame House...

"You guys!" Chi-Chi called. "This is dreadful! Master Roshii, Goku is..."

"What?" Master Roshii looked at the frantic woman. "What's happened?"

"Calm down, Mother." Gohan told his mother.

"Everyone, just come up here!" Chi-Chi insisted.

"What is it, what is it?" Master Roshii asked as the group headed up to the attic. "Just what is the matter up here?"

"Sh!" Chi-Chi hushed. "Be quiet! See that?" she exclaimed. "Goku just smiled!"

"Oh, he certainly did." Master Roshii noted.

"It's true." Gohan agreed. "He smiled!"

"Hey, that means he's all but recovered, doesn't it?" Oolong asked.

"It's really great!" Chi-Chi beamed.

"Have you guys noticed it yet?" Master Roshii voiced. "His smile is different from any ordinary smile. It's the same as the excited one Goku get before he fights someone strong."

"Oh!" Yamcha realized. "Now that you mention it! Looks like we can count on Goku after all. He must be anticipating fighting the Androids, and he's starting to get excited. That's just like him. Once he starts to get a little strength back, he starts thinking of fighting again, even in his sleep. We can relax now."

"Hey, Yamcha..." Oolong stammered, looking over at the about-to-erupt Chi-Chi.

"Right?" Yamcha looked over at Master Roshii. "Isn't that so, Master Roshii?"

"Absolutely." Master Roshii agreed. "What a guy."

"Yamcha!" Oolong stuttered the warning.

"Huh?" Yamcha blinked. "What's wrong? Uh, Chi-Chi, I didn't mean anything like that." he started, noticing Chi-Chi's glare.

"I am utterly against having Goku fighting so soon after his illness." Chi-Chi's glare was undeterred.

"Mother, Yamcha didn't necessarily intend..." Gohan defended.

"You hush!" Chi-Chi barked. "There's nothing I hate more than the barbaric idea of you making him fight right away!"

"Sure..." Yamcha muttered.

"Yeah?" Chi-Chi scanned the assembled males. "I'm talking to each one of you here! You got that?"

"Yes..." the four males stammered.

"In that case, keep it quiet!" Chi-Chi exploded.

* * *

On the outskirts of Gingertown...

"As I evade their view, I'll absorb more and more humans' life energy and increase my power more and more." Cell decided. "And then, when my power exceeds No. 17 and the others, I'll force them to merge with me. My next catch is in Nickytown, is it?"

* * *

In Gingertown...

"Of those two guys with the mysterious, incredibly large battle powers, one of them has disappeared." Vegeta was arriving at his destination. "However, one of them is still there. It isn't that Android No. 17 or whoever, those guys don't dissipate the slightest Ki. So who the hell is it then?"

"Dammit, I got careless!" Piccolo cursed. "I should have beaten him easily!"

"Incredible" Krillin gaped as Piccolo flared up.

"You lousy scum!" Piccolo ranted. "I will absolutely not let you become your 'Invincible Form'!"

"Piccolo!" Vegeta was stunned. "It can't be!"

"Vegeta!" Krillin blinked.

"Dad!" Trunks gaped.

"Talk!" Vegeta demanded, upon landing. "What happened here?"

"Tien appears to be headed here as well." Piccolo stated. "Once he arrives, I'll tell everyone all at once."

"Well then, beforehand, I want you to answer me this." Vegeta voiced. "Are you really Piccolo? How did you come to have all that battle power? Why, you!"

"Piccolo has..." Trunks cut in. "Piccolo has once again merged with Kami."

"What's this?" Vegeta gasped. "You merged?" _just from that?_ He was shocked. _I'm sure the battle power I felt before was even higher than mine as a Super Saiyan. Impossible! He's mere a Namekian!_

"He's here." Krillin shouted. "It's Tien."

_What should we do?_ Piccolo wondered. _With No. 17 and No. 18, as well as No. 16, even with all the super power I've obtained, I probably can't handle them. Indeed, all we can do is defeat Cell himself._

"Um, Piccolo, or rather, Kami..." Krillin stated. "Or rather, um... what should we call you now? Tien is here."

"Alright, I'll tell you everything." Piccolo cut him off. "Vegeta and Tien didn't see him, but that monster that was just here was an Android, independently created by Dr. Gero's computer."

"What?" the assembled Z Senshi gasped.

"It can't be!" Krillin was stunned after Piccolo's narration.

"Me and Kakarot's cells?" Vegeta echoed.

"That's how it is." Piccolo confirmed. "In order to prevent Cell from becoming his 'Invincible Form', we have to either seek him out and kill him, or seek out either No. 17 or No. 18 and kill them, either way. As far as I am concerned, I think all we can do is beat Cell while he still doesn't have all that much power."

_They dare make a fool of me?_ Vegeta fumed. _Everyone is easily outpacing the Super Saiyan, greatest in the Universe! It's pissing me off! What about you, Kakarot?_

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 5: Laboratory Basement.


	6. Laboratory Basement

SailorStar9:This is Chapter 5 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: Cell is after Ami, Androids 17 and 18, but that doesn't mean he'll leave others alone. Cell continues creating a swath of death and destruction. Piccolo and Tien, unfortunately, have an easy trail to follow. The real trouble will occur if they actually find Cell, however. Krillin and Trunks are after Cell, too – only the one of the present-day. They figure eliminating that one will prevent future problems. In Dr. Gero's wrecked laboratory, they bust into the basement – finding baby Cell and a lot more. They destroy the creature and depart.

Chapter 5: Laboratory Basement

* * *

"And that's how it stands." Piccolo finished. "In order to merge with No. 17, No. 18 and the Princess and become his 'Invincible Form', he's come from the future."

"What a fix." Krillin muttered. "So, we have to find that Cell guy from earlier somehow and take him down."

"But can we seek him out?" Trunks wondered. "Now that he knows of Piccolo's unexpectedly great strength, won't he just assault other people while keeping his Ki suppressed?"

"If we don't prevent Cell, No. 17 and No. 18 from emerging, no matter what the cost, things will get unbearable." Tien cursed.

"And not just for Earth." Piccolo reminded. "With the Princess gone, it will be terrible for all the worlds in the Universe. Don't forget that he has Frieza and his father's blood running through him as well."

"My blood too!" Vegeta cut in. "You've got nothing but clumsy strategies. If he wants to merge with them, then let him! It'll reduce the number of opponents we have to beat and save us some trouble. I don't care what becomes of my enemy. I'll just kill them anyway!"

"Don't take it so lightly, Vegeta!" Piccolo barked. "If they merge, then as unmanageable as No. 17 and the others were, he'll far surpass even them!"

"Don't you use that big-shot tone with me!" Vegeta snapped. "Do you want to be wiped out before the Androids are? Hmph! I will go beyond, count on it! Beyond even Super Saiyan!"

"Go beyond even Super Saiyan?" Trunks gaped in shock.

"Kakarot will likely do the same." Vegeta concluded. "That's for sure! I'm going to do this my way! You all do whatever you wish among yourselves." and shot off.

"Go beyond Super Saiyan, he said." Piccolo repeated. "Beyond the terrifying strength of a Super Saiyan? Was he serious? Is such a thing possible?"

"Hey, Trunks." Krillin voiced. "It would be meaningless to take your time machine back a little into the past and destroy No. 17 and such, right?"

"Yes, it would probably be fine for the future of that dimension." Trunks replied. "But it won't relate to this dimension."

"Well, that means it wouldn't do any good to go to Dr. Gero's laboratory now and destroy that unfinished Cell, right?" Krillin surmised.

"No, let's destroy him." Trunks corrected. "At the very least, Cell won't be able to be born in the future of this dimension."

"Alright, you guys go to the laboratory." Piccolo concluded. "I'm going to look around the area here some more. At the very least, it'll keep the Princess safe for a while longer."

"Right." Trunks nodded.

"I'll remain here too." Tien offered.

"Well, if it doesn't look like you're going to find Cell, come to the Kame House." Krillin added. "By watching the TV, we might be able to get a hold of his location."

"Okay, got it." Tien nodded.

"Well then..." Krillin started and took off with Trunks in tow.

* * *

In the air...

"Go beyond even Super Saiyan?" Trunks mused. "I've never even thought of such a thing!"

"Certainly not." Krillin agreed. "But it could be possible, right? Knowing Vegeta and Goku..."

* * *

At the demolished laboratory site...

"So cold!" Krillin shivered. "Is there really anything under this laboratory anyhow? How should we search for it?"

"Krillin, please stand back for a moment." Trunks requested and started raining Ki blasts at the ground, with Krillin following suit. "Krillin!" he voiced.

"Eh?" Krillin walked over. "What is it?"

"Krillin, this is probably it." Trunks found the room.

"You're right." Krillin spotted the metal ladder.

"Well, let's go see." Trunks suggested.

"Okay." Krillin nodded and the two floated down to the hole. "Be careful." he warned once they reach the bottom.

"Right." Trunks nodded and the pair proceeded.

Reaching the room, Trunks pushed the metal door open. Groping the wall, he found the light switch and flipped it on.

"Rotten piece of crap!" Krillin cursed as the computer came into view. "This is the computer, huh?"

"Krillin, please look at this." Trunks voiced. "This is surely what will become Cell." he looking into the bubbling incubator.

"Dammit!" Krillin growled. "This is what has all the cells of the martial arts masters gathered within it? Me and Goku must be included in there. Just looking at it disgusts me."

"In time, this will become a larva, shed its skin and become Cell." Trunks concluded. "And then after that, he will suck out the life energy of others as he approaches his 'Invincible Form'. All of it under instruction from this computer."

"Trunks, let's destroy this whole underground laboratory right now." Krillin suggested.

"Wait just a minute." Trunks voiced. "They're plans!" he walked over to the table and scanned the abandoned blueprints.

"What are they plans for?" Krillin wondered. "That Cell guy?"

"No, it has 'No. 17' written here." Trunks corrected.

"No. 17?" Krillin echoed. "His, huh?"

"If I have Mom look at these, she just might be able to catch on to a weakness in No. 17, Krillin." Trunks beamed.

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Krillin agreed. "Say, are there any more? Maybe the ones for Cell, or..."

"The rest of this..." Trunks flipped through the pile of notes. "Doesn't look like it would be of any use."

"Alright, then let's bring down this underground laboratory." Krillin decided.

"Right." Trunks nodded and the pair proceeded to bring down the house. "Because of you, we in the future suffered!" he hissed. "Take this!" he fired the final blast at the computer before tag-teaming with Krillin to destroy the incubator. "Krillin, let's get out of here, quick!" he urged.

"Okay!" Krillin nodded and the pair escaped the burning laboratory. "Now to finish you off, you bastard!" he declared in the air, releasing one final Ki blast into the underground chamber, causing the entire place to erupt in flames. "We did it, Trunks." he told the time-traveler as they flew back. "Finding No.17's plans in there was an unexpected harvest, wasn't it?"

"Yes." Trunks agreed. "Um Krillin." he voiced after a while. "Would you take these plans to my mom for me?"

"Huh?" Krillin blinked. "You're not coming with me?"

"I want to try training together with my dad." Trunks replied. "If he really can go beyond being a Super Saiyan, then I..."

"That's fine, but..." Krillin noted. "Well, he's your father, so I don't want to say anything bad, but... I don't think Vegeta will let you do anything with him."

"For my part, I don't really want to do this either." Trunks admitted. "However, even Dad has to know that by training alone while sparring against each other, we'll grow a lot faster than we will by ourselves. And all this, is for her sake too."

"Alright, I get you." Krillin relented. "You train real hard now."

"Please see this through." Trunks handed Krillin the plans.

"Hang in there." Krillin nodded.

"Right." Trunks agreed and he split up from Krillin.

* * *

On the road...

"This is unmistakably the work of Cell." Piccolo concluded, picking up the discarded rugby ball player's uniform.

"So then, his plan is to attack people for their life energy and store it up for himself." Tien remarked.

"Not much time has passed since this happened, he must still be nearby." Piccolo stated.

"Why don't we go check?" Tien suggested and the pair took to the skies for a better look.

"Did you sense anything?" Piccolo inquired.

"No." Tien admitted.

"Damn..." Piccolo cursed.

"Over there." Tien suddenly felt a spike in Ki. "It's slight, but there's a disturbance in Ki coming from over there."

"You're right." Piccolo agreed.

"That city." Tien stated as they sped towards Nicky Town.

* * *

In Nicky Town...

"Damn, we're too late!" Piccolo cursed, the pair having landed in the middle of the empty street. "He's a quick one."

"There's nothing we can do like this." Tien noted. "Cell feels our Ki, and runs away quickly. And if we hold our Ki, we can't go very fast."

"Useless, useless." Cell chuckled on the roof of the apartment above the two Z Senshi. "While they're prowling around down there, I think I'll go get my next meal."

* * *

In Capsule Corp...

"So you're saying that you want to find a weakness in No. 17 and the others with these plans, in order to prevent Cell from merging with them." Bulma summarized after Krillin delivered the plans.

"These are incredible." Dr. Briefs scanned through the plans. "There's quite a few things here not even I understand. What a shame. If Dr. Gero had applied his genius a better way, the world could be at peace."

"From a human base, he's been almost entirely remodeled with just organic components." even Bulma was awed. "In which case, at a cellular level, uniting the two is a definite possibility. I won't know until I look over these thoroughly, but these sparsely-used, small devices here may be an unexpected weakness."

"We'll start investigating these right away, Krillin." Dr. Briefs stated.

"Right." Krillin nodded. "If you would be so kind."

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 6: Our Hero Awakens.


	7. Our Hero Awakens

SailorStar9:This is Chapter 6 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: The Z Senshi are in overdrive and because of Cell. Krillin faces Cell alone – barely managing to save some innocent people and himself. Trunks has other problems, as he fears his attempt to save the world only made things worse. Meanwhile, on Master Roshii's island, Chi-Chi is relieved that the heart disease antidote has worked and that Goku is awake. As it happens, he is very much aware of what has been happening since the Android 19 debacle. He also knows that he isn't strong enough to win. The unthinkable – going beyond Super Saiyan – is the hope and the plan.

Chapter 6: Our Hero Awakens

* * *

In the Nicky Town airport...

A guard was frantically shooting bullets at the incoming Cell from his rifle, the green Android having devoured his afternoon snack, only to have the slugs bounce off Cell. Trapping the guard under his foot after his bullets ran out, Cell proceeded to claim his newest victim.

"Be cautious?" Cell smashed the TV. "That's a good joke." turning, he grinned and headed over to the table where a sister and her younger brother were hiding under.

* * *

In the air...

"Sense anything?" Piccolo asked.

"No." Tien replied. "I'm sure I felt his Ki a moment ago, though."

"Damn!" Piccolo cursed. "We have to make sure he doesn't become his 'Invincible Form', no matter what."

* * *

In the Nicky Town airport...

The elder sister let out a scream after Cell found their hiding place and fled with her brother, the green Android following closely behind.

"Sis!" the boy cried out, having tripped over his feet.

Picking up her brother, the young woman took off running as Cell drew closer. Running out of the hanger, she then tripped over a fallen I-pillar lying on the road.

Cell grinned and dashed towards his pending victims, jumping with his tail raised, only to miss his targets when Krillin grabbed the sister-brother pair and teleported to safety in the air. "Krillin, huh?" he scoffed. "How nice of you to find me here."

"I can't have you taking stabs at these people." Krillin landed on the ground. _Here am I taking a shortcut back to the Kame House, and I have to run into this terrible guy._

"Uh, em..." the rescued woman started. "Thank you very much."

"Never mind." Krillin stammered, releasing the pair. "Hurry and run away."

"Right." the woman nodded.

"Thanks." the boy beamed and they took off.

"Suit me just fine." Cell shrugged. "Why don't I just have your life energy first?"

Krillin dodged Cell's fist, before he jumped sideways to avoid the Android's tail jabs. _It pains me to say this, but he's not an opponent I can beat. In this situation..._ "Taiyo-Ken!" he was forced to use Tien's technique and blinding the charging Cell. "Where is he?" he scanned the ground, seeing that Cell was nowhere in sight. "Where'd he go? Oh, hell!" he realized when Cell had plunged his tail into the plane's roof. Dropping himself off, he then shot off into the sky, head-butting Cell in the stomach, and forcing them to take the fight on the plane's wing.

Using his tail as an anchor, Cell leveled a punch at Krillin, sending him into the plane's body. "This would seem to the end, wouldn't it?" he taunted.

"Krillin!" Tien hollered as he and Piccolo came in.

"It's those guys." Cell snorted. Tsking at the defeated Krillin, he then took off.

"He's hidden his Ki again!" Piccolo growled as he and Tien landed on the wing.

"Are you alright, Krillin?" Tien asked.

"I'm saved." Krillin muttered.

* * *

Elsewhere...

_Evidently,ever since we came here in the time machine, things have been changing in subtle ways._ Trunks realized. _At that time, I thought that if only Goku hadn't died of his illness,and instead lived, he could save us from a future wrought with devastation by the Androids. Ho_wever_, when we came once again three years later, Goku and the others were fighting against different Androids. Android No. 16, whom I had never seen before, appears, and then this guy, Cell, or whatever, also appears. On top of that, the time machine he came back in, it was definitely my own. Does that mean that Cell coming here four years ago was my future self's fault, in that other dimension? By coming here from the future with the changes history, have we instead plunged this world into a crisis? Dad... _"Mom, I'm going to try to train with Dad. If Dad can overcome Super Saiyan, why not me? Mom... I have to do this, to protect her."

* * *

In the Nicky Town airport...

"Dammit!" Piccolo cursed. "Has he gotten away again?"

"If he's able to search out our Ki and escape every which way from us as well." Tien growled. "We have absolutely no way to strike him."

"If I keep taking life essences at this place, then the time when I absorb No. 17 and No. 18 and become my 'Perfect Form' is not far off." Cell grinned, hiding in the control tower.

* * *

In the Kame House during the third day...

"This time, the monster has appeared in the southern zone in a large city in Sector 48." the newscaster reported. "We also had reports that over half the inhabitants have been killed already."

"Damn!" Piccolo cursed.

"Now it's the southern zone?" Krillin echoed.

"They said that there were already a good deal of casualties in the Metro West area." Gohan added.

"I know." Yamcha thought of an idea.

"Gohan, be careful!" Chi-Chi called as the rest of the Z Senshi took off in the copter.

"If we come up to him like this, Cell won't be aware of our Ki." Yamcha stated in the pilot's seat. "This time, we've got him for sure."

"Let's defeat him before he combines with No. 17 and the others and becomes his 'Invincible Form'." Krillin decided.

"Yeah." Tien agreed. "The way we are now, we can do it."

"That's right." Gohan concurred. "Piccolo is here, and he's merged with Kami and gotten incredibly strong. "

"Cell is a crafty one." Piccolo reminded. "Even if we do get close, if he hides from us, there'll be no way to find him."

* * *

In the Kame House...

"What's that?" Chi-Chi demanded, having been knocked to the ground when the earth shook. "Have the Androids come attacking?"

"'Ya' is uncalled for, there's no 'Ya'." Master Roshii chided, having been doused in the water that spilled out of the water basin. "Here you are pouring water over people..."

"Ah. Goku!" Chi-Chi gasped and hurried to the attic. "Goku! Huh?" she blinked, finding the futon empty. "Goku?" and looked out of the opened window.

"What's wrong?" Master Roshii entered the room.

"Goku!" Chi-Chi exclaimed joyously at her recovered husband.

"Goku!" Master Roshii beamed at his former student.

"Goku!" Chi-Chi jumped out of the window and hurried over to her husband who was parting the ocean with his Kamehameha wave technique.

"Chi-Chi!" Goku turned to his wife.

"Goku!" Chi-Chi threw herself into his arms.

"Sorry to make you worry so." Goku looked his wife. "Looks like I'm completely over my illness."

"Are you really okay?" Chi-Chi pressed.

"Yeah!" Goku raised her. "See for yourself."

"Goku!" Chi-Chi giggled as her husband twirled her around. "Hey, cut it out!" and screamed when Goku stopped, the momentum tossing her up into the air.

"I inadvertently put too much power into that." Goku chuckled nervously.

"Goku!" Chi-Chi beamed when her husband broke her fall.

"Sorry, sorry." Goku chuckled as his wife hugged him.

"Goku." Master Roshii voiced.

"Old timer!" Goku looked at his former teacher.

"You recovered from your illness?" Master Roshii inquired as Goku put his wife down.

"Yeah, I'm alright now." Goku assured. "I heard what everyone has been saying in my dreams. I pretty much know what's going on. Looks like things have gotten awful again, huh?" he tightened his belt.

"Goku, don't tell me you're already... "Master Roshii realized what his former student was intending to do.

"You gotta be kidding!" Chi-Chi exploded, catching the underlying message. "You're thinking of fighting already? You'll die!"

"Don't worry." Goku assured. "I'm ain't fighting yet. If Vegeta can't win against them now, I can't win either. That's why I'm thinking of aiming for something higher too."

"Higher?" Master Roshii echoed.

"Higher than Super Saiyan." Goku clarified.

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 7: Time Chamber.


	8. Time Chamber

SailorStar9:This is Chapter 7 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: After enduring the terrifyingly horrifying effect of the viral heart disease, Goku recovers, and has only one objective on his mind, surpassing a super Saiyan. With Vegeta's mind set on reaching the same seemingly unreachable goal, Goku takes him, Trunks and Gohan to the mysterious hyperbolic time chamber, a room where one year in there, is equivalent to that of a day in the real world. Meanwhile, the androids face an unexpected and unforeseen issue, Goku's not home. With the androids now closing in on Master Roshii's island can anything stop the destructive trio of despair.

Chapter 7: Time Chamber

* * *

"I don't think it can be done." Master Roshii remarked.

"I can do it." Goku insisted. "It's the only way to beat Cell and I won't know if I don't try, will I? A year, to know for sure, a year is all I need."

"A year?" Master Roshii echoed. "But that's a long time."

"Sure it is." Goku replied. "But we both know a place where it could be done in a day. Hey Chi-Chi, I'd like to take Gohan with me, if that's okay with you."

"That's a joke, right?" Chi-Chi huffed. "Right? Well? What do you think I'll say, Goku? Huh? Yeah, go ahead. I can't stop you. But I want you to make sure that Gohan gets as strong as possible. K?" she gave her husband a playful punch.

"Sure." Goku agreed.

"Now, if I let Gohan go battle those Androids with you, you have to promise to let him study when he gets back, alright?" Chi-Chi laid the ultimatum.

_Interesting._ Master Roshii mused. _Chi-Chi never lets Gohan put down the books. It must be some kind of a trick._

"I want you and Gohan to give it all you've got." Chi-Chi encouraged.

"Thanks, Chi-Chi." Goku smiled.

_I can never deny you big lug._ Chi-Chi thought. "Goku, I don't know what I'll do without you."

"That's sweet." Master Roshii noted.

"Well, see ya." Goku remarked. "I'll miss you, Chi-Chi."

"I'll miss you too." Chi-Chi sniffled.

"He disappeared!" Master Roshii gaped when Goku used his 'Instant Transmission' technique. "How did he do that?"

"Come back soon." Chi-Chi prayed.

* * *

On the plane...

"Are we there yet, Yamcha?" Tien pressed.

"Soon." Yamcha replied.

"Well, hurry up." Tien urged. "We don't want Cell to get away again. We have to stop him and quickly."

"But we have to find him first." Piccolo reminded.

"We sure need Goku." Krillin noted. "Now."

"Wha?" Piccolo blinked when Goku teleported in.

"That will be really nice." Krillin mused.

"It's my Dad." Gohan gasped.

"Goku?" Yamcha gaped.

"Sure would be great if he showed up." Krillin muttered.

"It's Daddy!" Gohan beamed.

"Goku?" Krillin echoed.

"Hey!" Goku greeted.

"Yup, I must be losing it." Krillin concluded. "I'm starting to see things. Goku?" he stammered in disbelief.

"Hi, Krillin." Goku beamed.

"Goku!" a tearing Krillin hugged his best friend. "Goku, you came back! I can't believe it! You're back."

"Yeah." Goku confirmed. "So, when do we eat?"

"Goku, you nut." Krillin sniffled. "You're back to normal alright."

"Well, a guy's got to ear, right?" Goku chuckled. "Hey, why the long face, kiddo?" he looked at his sniffling son. "There." he patted Gohan's head.

"I missed you, Daddy." Gohan held back his tears.

"Kamiccolo." Goku greeted the re-merged Piccolo. "What? Did I say something wrong?" he blinked when Piccolo spluttered.

"Look, I've been through some changes." Piccolo noted. "But my name is still Piccolo and don't forget that."

"Sure thing, no problem." Goku beamed.

"Well, what?" Piccolo demanded.

"Hey Piccolo, there's no way we can defeat a power like Cell in a fight right now." Goku turned to the matters at hand. "That's why I've decided to start training again. And I know a place where I can get a year of training in a day."

"Where is that?" Yamcha inquired.

"It's at Kami's place." Goku replied.

"So, it's back to the 'Hyperbolic Time Chamber'." Piccolo reasoned. "I see. No one has been able to stay there for more than a year. No one. It might be way more than you can handle, Goku."

"Yeah." Goku agreed. "That's why I'm taking Trunks and Vegeta. Surely, one of us will be able to do it."

"Then go, quickly." Piccolo barked. "Cell gets stronger every day and time is in short supply. If we let Cell absorb No. 17 and No. 18, we're finished for sure."

"True." Goku agreed. "Come on, Gohan. Take my hand." he reached to his son.

"Right." Gohan nodded. "Let's do it."

"Wait, before you go." Krillin voiced. "Hey, is it true that you guys will be gone for just one day? That's cool. Train hard. We'll find Cell."

"It's a deal." Goku sealed the promise and teleported off.

_One day is more than we can afford._ Piccolo mused. _It better be worth it._

"Things are looking up." Tien noted. "When those guys are done training, I know we'll be ready for Cell."

"You bet." Krillin agreed. "We'll win and the Earth will be safe once again. Man, I just can't wait to ge to Cell now. His days of terrorizing people will be over for good."

* * *

Elsewhere...

_Yes, I can feel it._ Vegeta thought. _I kno_w_ it can be done. I can ascend beyond the Super Saiyan. The only question is how._

_Father._ Trunks watched from afar. _You're so proud and arrogant. I've got ne_w_s for you. I'm not going anywhere. If you can raise your power to the next level, then so can I. I'm here to stay whether you like it or not._ "Goku..." he blinked when Goku and Gohan appeared.

"Hey, how's the training going, Trunks?" Goku asked.

"Not well." Trunks admitted. "I guess my father really doesn't want me to train with him. He thinks I'll slow him down and every time I get close, he tells me to get lost. Look at him, he's not doing anything. He's been standing at the same spot, staring into space for the last three days. He hasn't moved."

"Yeah, that is strange." Goku agreed. "Maybe he's just waiting for a sign or something to show him the way. Right? I'll go have a word with him. Hey, Vegeta." he called.

"Kakarot, leave me alone." Vegeta snapped.

"Hey, hold on." Goku chided. "I just want to help you out, Vegeta. I know what you're trying to do. There's a room at Kami's place where you can get a year of training in one day.

_I could ascend to the next level very quickly._ Vegeta thought. "Take me there."

"Sure, but here's the problem." Goku added. "Only two people can go into the room at once. I'm going in with Gohan, so you'll have to go in with Trunks."

"This better not be another one of your tricks." Vegeta retorted.

"Hey, will I lie to you?" Goku defended. "We're all in this together now, remember? This is on the level, I promise."

"Alright, I'll go." Vegeta relented. "As long as I get to go first."

"Sure." Goku nodded. "You know, this is a great way for a father and son to get to know each other."

* * *

In an amusement park...

_They didn't deserve such a horrible fate._ Piccolo looked at the discarded clothing in the streets after Cell continued his rampage.

"These poor people never had a chance." Yamcha remarked.

"Darn it!" Krillin cursed. "We're just one little step behind."

"It's Cell." Piccolo concluded, the group readied for battle as the amenities started moving on their own.

"Look at those insects." Cell snorted. "I could squash them now, but I'll wait. I find them very entertaining."

* * *

At Kami's Lookout...

"I knew you'll come." Ami stated as the four Saiyans landed on the platform. "Mr. PoPo, if you will."

"Of course, Princess." Mr. PoPo nodded as he led the four off. "Please, follow me. You'll find everything you'll need here. There's food, a bed and bath. It's not very luxurious, I'm afraid. "

"I require nothing more than the essentials." Vegeta voiced as Mr. PoPo led them in. "This is not a vacation. This is work."

"Ignore him, Mr. PoPo." Goku remarked. "He's a little uptight today. He's just here to complete his training."

"Yes, so then I can take care of you." Vegeta retorted.

"Here it is." Mr. PoPo gestured to the 'Hyperbolic Time Chamber'.

"Wow, so that's the 'Hyperbolic Time Chamber' huh?" Gohan noted.

"Alright." Mr. PoPo started. "Which group goes first?"

"Hey, you two, go on in." Goku looked over at Trunks and Vegeta.

"Good." Mr. PoPo nodded. "Right this way, please. Once cross the threshold, you're to spend a year in the room. But when you leave, only a day would have passed in this dimension. Good luck."

"Thank you, Goku." Trunks noted as he entered the door.

"Good luck, Trunks." Goku nodded. "Take care of Vegeta, okay?"

"I hope those two get along." Gohan remarked as Mr. PoPo shut the door.

* * *

In the 'Hyperbolic Time Chamber'...

_What's so special about this place?_ Vegeta wondered.

"It's hot." Trunks remarked. "There's less air and the gravity is different. What?" he gasped once he stepped out. "I don't believe it. There's nothing here. We're surrounded by total emptiness. We're floating in a gigantic void. What kind of place is this?"

"Too much for you?" Vegeta taunted.

"Of course not." Trunks retorted. "But now I know why few can stay in a whole year in this place. It's overwhelming."

"It is." Vegeta agreed.

_I must not let my father see that I'm afraid._ Trunks was determined. _This is my chance to prove myself to him. But I don't know if I can spend an entire year in this place. It's too much for me._

* * *

On the plane...

"If we can't sense Cell, then where is he?" Yamcha wondered. "He's hiding, right?"

"That's what he does." Krillin agreed. "And the world's a big place to hide."

"So what?" Piccolo retorted. "Then we'll just get out there and find him and fast. If we don't, Cell will take total control of this world. We can chase Cell all we want, but we're going to need Goku, Vegeta, Gohan and Trunks to complete their training and transform into Ascended Saiyans if we're going to beat him."

* * *

At Kame's House...

_I can't stand it._ Piccolo growled as the rest rested. _Sitting here doing nothing while Cell continues his raid of terror._ "Curse you, Cell." he hissed. Sensing something, he got up and went to the window.

"Hi, can Goku come out and play?" Android 17 inquired, the three Androids standing outside the door.

_Oh, this is perfect._ Piccolo mused. _That's exactly what I want for breakfast._

"Goku is not here." Android 16 reported.

"Not here?" Android 17 echoed.

"Get up." Piccolo told the rest. "We have company."

"What?" Krillin was still drowsy. "What's going on? This better be good."

"Stand your ground." Piccolo stepped out. "I'll handle this. Goku's not here, but perhaps I can take his place."

"No thanks, but tell us where he is and I might change my mind." Android 17 requested.

"Oh no, I don't like the look of this." Krillin remarked.

"Goku's gone now." Piccolo replied. "So, why don't you go get lost?"

"Now, now." Android 17 tsked. "It's not very nice to talk to your guest that way, you know."

"Alright, have it your way." Piccolo smirked. "There, that island." he pointed. "You and me."

"Very well." Android 17 accepted. "If you really want to."

"You three stay here." Piccolo told the rest. "This is my fight now."

"Does Piccolo have a chance?" Yamcha wondered as the four took off.

"No way." Tien replied. "The odds are against him."

"No, he can do it." Krillin was certain. "He has to, at lease until Goku get back."

* * *

On the island...

"I think it's my turn to sit this on out." Android 18 stepped back.

"If you cooperate, I'll go easy on you." Android 17 offered. "Last chance. Tell me where Goku is."

"No, go find him yourself." Piccolo retorted.

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 8: The Monster is Coming.


	9. The Monster Is Coming

SailorStar9:This is Chapter 8 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: Piccolo begins his epic battle against Android 17, and he seems to be on par with the mechanical monster, meanwhile Bulma continues to work on the remote that will shut down the Androids. Cell can feel Piccolo's energy, and knows he must be fighting one of the Androids, he charges towards them, in the hope that he will become complete.

Chapter 8: The Monster Is Coming

* * *

"Unless you want to say something, I'll kill you for sure this time." Android 17 promised. "Got it?"

"It won't be as easy as it was last time." Piccolo stated.

"It taxes my comprehension why you would fight a battle you can't win." Android 17 was confused. "Are you buying time? Or is that you're just a fool? So, if you're going to bring it, bring it."

"Will you alone be the one fighting, No. 17?" Piccolo inquired.

"Of course." Android 17 replied. "Someone the likes of you naturally won't even be a match for me."

"Yes." Piccolo agreed. "If I have only one opponent, something just might come of this." _If I can defeat either No. 17 or No. 18, I can prevent Cell from becoming strong enough to absorb the Princess and becoming his 'Invincible Form'._ That decided, he readied for battle and powered up.

* * *

At Kame's House...

"Here we are, so far away, and yet it's as if he's raising his Ki right before our eyes." Tien was stunned. "Amazing."

"To think it was this high." even Master Roshii was shocked,

"No, this isn't everything." Krillin corrected. "Piccolo merged with Kami can raise his Ki much, much higher. This is just the beginning."

"Is that true?" Master Roshii wondered.

* * *

In Kami's Lookout...

"Kami-sama..." Mr. PoPo gasped.

"It's started." Goku voiced. "The one who's fighting is Piccolo."

"Could his opponent be that Cell guy?" Gohan asked.

"No, I can't feel his opponent's Ki." Goku replied. "It's probably the Androids."

"It can't be!" Gohan exclaimed. "Piccolo will be killed!" he dashed off.

"There ain't no use in going." Goku warned. "Our level's differ too much right now. Do you want to weigh him down? Very soon, Vegeta and Trunks will come out all powered up. Wait until then, it'll be alright. Besides which, Piccolo has become a master like you couldn't believe."

"Right." Mr. PoPo agreed. "Kami-sama and Piccolo are not easily beaten."

_Not yet, Vegeta?_ Goku looked at the 'Hyperbolic Time Chamber' after Gohan relented. _Was it impossible to go beyond Super Saiyan after all?_

* * *

Back on the battlefield...

"How can this be?" Android 16 was stunned at the power surge. "That's not Piccolo." he informed Android 17.

"What?" Android 17 gasped.

Still powered up, Piccolo moved at incredible speeds, knocking Android 17 with an elbow to the back, before leveling a punch at the male Android. Hammering Android 17 with a flurry of punches, Piccolo landed a final fist into Android 17's cheek.

Lifting his arm away from his face, Android 17 kicked Piccolo off, the Namekian back-flipping and landing on his feet against a cliff.

Using the rock as leverage, Piccolo resumed his assault, the two adversaries taking the fight to the air.

"Annoying pest!" Android 17 cursed, the combatants having met in a stalemate.

"You're not getting away!" Piccolo gave chase.

"What?" Android 17 gasped, ready to give Piccolo a jab with his elbow from the back, when the Namekian simply vanished out of sight.

Appearing above him, Piccolo rammed Android 17 towards the ground with an elbow jab. Not giving the Android any time to recover, Piccolo gave Android 17 a kick across the face, sending him flying across the field.

"Dear me." Android 18 noted.

"Impossible." Android 17 remarked. "With me speed... it's impossible!"

Reaching out his hand, Piccolo fired a Ki blast on Android 17's back.

"Get cocky with me, will you?" Android 17 hissed, having taking to the skies to dodge the attack. "Brace yourself, you oversized scumbag!"

Piccolo smirked and the fight resumed in the air, both opponents trading blows and kicks.

"Take this!" Piccolo charged up a Ki blast in his hand after Android 17 dodged his roundabout kick.

Android 17 merely side-stepped the energy blast.

Growling, Piccolo charged up two Ki balls in his hands, firing a barrage of energy attacks at Android 17. "How about this?" he snapped, charging up an even bigger Ki blast as Android 17 dodged every single shot.

Android 17 crossed his arms in front of himself, deflecting the shot.

"He repelled it!" Piccolo gaped at the resulting Ki shower.

"This certainly is better than before." Android 7 admitted. "It's quite entertaining of you, isn't it?"

"He's half-playing." Android 18 remarked. "He really is disingenuous, isn't he, No. 16?"

Piccolo fired up and the two adversaries charged head-on once more.

* * *

At Kame's House...

"Who the hell has the upper hand here?" Tien wondered. "Is it Piccolo? Or it is the Androids?"

"Hey, it has to be Piccolo." Yamcha insisted. "Can anyone overcome such ferocious power?"

"I'm not sure." Master Roshii admitted. "Since we can't sense his opponent's power, we'd better not get caught up in the excitement."

"Yeah, the Androids don't dissipate Ki after all." Krillin agreed.

Back on the battlefield...

"What's the matter?" Android 17 taunted. "Finished already?"

"Really!" Android 18 complained. "Enough already! No. 17, hurry up and put him away! Or shall I take over?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Android 17 barked. "You expect me to switch with you during the part I enjoy most? You're the same way too, I bet." he glanced over at Piccolo.

"I suppose so." Piccolo replied.

"This isn't it at all." Android 17 noted. "This isn't yet my power, the greatest in history."

"It isn't?" Piccolo echoed. "Well, let me see it."

"This again?" Android 7 scoffed, recognizing the Ki blast barrage. "It's no use, no matter how many times you do it." he dodged the bombardment. "You disappoint me. Did you really think such a technique would work against me?"

Piccolo ignored his taunts and landed on the ground, continuing his energy rain.

"Where the hell are you aiming?" Android 17 demanded when he saw all of the blasts rush past him, before he found himself surrounded by floating Ki balls and he realized what Piccolo's plan was.

"There's nowhere left for you to run!" Piccolo declared. "This is as far as the greatest in history goes. "Go to hell!" he readied for the final attack. On cue, the Ki balls closed in on their target, bombarding the trapped Android.

* * *

At Kame's House...

"What is it?" Krillin stammered.

* * *

Back on the battlefield...

"A barrier?" Piccolo gasped in shock after the smoke cleared and finding Android 17 encased in an energy shield.

"Too bad." Android 17 scoffed, dispelling his shield. "That's a pity, isn't it?"

"Ha!" Piccolo snorted. "I'm still just getting started."

"Let's change locations." Android 17 offered. "Someone has destroyed the island, after all. You have to take better care of nature." and the group switched battlegrounds.

* * *

Elsewhere...

"This intense Ki is that of Piccolo, combined with Kami." Cell stopped in mid-feed. "The opponent he would be fighting at such a high power must be... it could only be No. 17 and the others." he dropped his victim. "I've found you! This is good timing!" and took off to the battlefield. "I'm coming now. You just wait. My power is already even greater than yours."

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 9: He's Here.


	10. He's Here

SailorStar9:This is Chapter 9 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: Piccolo and 17 continue their showdown, not known to them that the power hungry Cell is approaching fast. Piccolo is as strong as 17 but fatigue kicks in, while the malicious android's power remains undrained. Meanwhile Goku and Gohan impatiently wait for Vegeta and Trunks to finish their Super Saiyan training in the 'Hyperbolic Time Chamber'. Cell arrives at the battlefield, ready to attain his 'Perfect Form' so that he could absorb Ami and overthrow the Gods, it's all up to Piccolo now.

Chapter 9: He's Here

* * *

"For not even being an Android, you have fantastic power." Android 17 admitted. "It is certainly apparent you are not Piccolo Daimao. Of course, I have no interest in your identity. I only want to know where Son Goku is. As usual, I don't suppose you are of the mind to tell us, are you?"

"Your objective is to kill Goku." Piccolo remarked. "There's no reason that I should tell you where he is."

"Well then, shall we continue the fight?" Android 17 suggested. "I think you'll come to want to speak. This time, I'm fighting like I mean it."

"Your speed is decent." Piccolo remarked, having dodged another of Android 7's kicks. "But your punches don't seem to have enough weight behind them."

"What was that?" Android 17 demanded. "How nice of you to talk big, as you face the strongest man in history, Android No. 17." that said, he resumed the attack.

"That guy is really strong." Android 18 remarked, seeing the fight ending in another stalemate. "He's evenly matched against No. 17."

* * *

In Kami's Lookout...

"Piccolo, hang in there." Gohan prayed.

"Keep it up, Piccolo." Goku muttered. "Until Vegeta and Trunks' training is finished..."

_Piccolo._ Ami was in her Sacred Shrine in the midst of her daily prayers. _I believe in you. Please, be careful._

* * *

Back in the battlefield...

Android 17 and Piccolo faced off again.

"Yeesh, how many islands are you going to destroy before you are satisfied?" Android 18 sighed after the resulting battle demolished yet another island.

* * *

At Kame House...

"Awesome..." Krillin gaped. "Piccolo still seems to hang in there."

"Dammit, are we just going to stay here like this?" Tien cursed.

"How can this be?" Krillin stammered.

"What's wrong?" Yamcha asked.

"He's coming closer!" Krillin stuttered. "At a time like this..."

"Cell?" Tien inquired.

"It can't be!" Yamcha was shocked.

* * *

In the air...

"I've waited a long time for this day to come." Cell grinned as he headed over to the battleground. "The day when I become my 'Invincible Form' and overthrow the Gods!"

* * *

Back in the battlefield...

The fight continued in the air.

"My, my." Android 18 remarked and she and Android 16 took off after the combatants.

* * *

At Kame House...

"What do we do, Krillin?" Yamcha asked.

"How can I answer something like that?" Krillin questioned.

"If this Cell monster were to absorb the Androids now, all of our hopes will vanish." Master Roshii remarked.

"Damn!" Tien cursed.

"Krillin, Bulma's calling on the phone for you." Chi-Chi shouted. "Come take it! She's saying something about having found a weakness in the Androids."

"What's that?" the male fighters chorused. "What?"

"That's right." Bulma confirmed. "No. 17 and No. 18 have emergency shutdown circuitry incorporated into their bodies. Once we shut off activity in those circuits, then no matter if they are Androids, you can destroy them easily, right? Yeah! I just completed a controller that will do it."

"Say, can we beat the Androids?" Yamcha pressed.

"Uh huh..." Krillin nodded.

"Beg your pardon, but could you bring it here right away?" Krillin inquired over the receiver. "Right now, Piccolo is fighting with them, the Androids."

"Sure, I'll leave right away." Bulma replied and hung up.

"Great." Tien noted. "If we destroy No. 17 and the others, Cell cannot become his 'Invincible Form'."

"Destroy, huh?" Krillin mused, recalling Android 18's kiss.

"What is it?" Tien inquired.

"It's nothing." Krillin stammered.

* * *

In Kami's Lookout...

"Father..." Gohan paced. "Cell has started to move!"

"Yeah, I know." Goku replied. "Still not yet? Vegeta is extremely gifted. He should have overcome the Super Saiyan wall long ago. Please hurry, Vegeta. What will happen cannot be undone."

* * *

Back in the battlefield...

"Our powers may be evenly matched, but there seems to be a gap widening between our stamina." Android 17 noted after another stalemate. "My energy will never drop."

Piccolo was gasping for breath, before he noticed Cell standing on a rock structure.

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 10: Up To Piccolo.


	11. Up To Piccolo

SailorStar9:This is Chapter 10 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: It all starts when Android 17 starts to fight Cell. He asks Piccolo who is he after Piccolo saves his life. He says that his name is Cell and that he is here to come and destroy him. Piccolo and Android 17 join teams and starts to fight together. Meanwhile Tien goes to see how strong Cell is to Piccolo and to see what they are up against and Krillin meets up with Bulma so it will be much easier and faster to shut down the Androids. Gohan gets mad and wants to help Piccolo but Goku tell him to stay there they are no good like that and that and pleas for Vegeta and Trunks to hurry up.

Chapter 10: Up To Piccolo

* * *

"Cell!" Piccolo gasped at the unexpected intrusion. "Hell I was too preoccupied with the fight, and I didn't notice him."

"What's with that strange guy?" Android 17 wondered.

_What?_ Piccolo blinked. _Doesn't he know? No. 17 and the others don't know about Cell._

"At last, the day of commemoration has come." Cell grinned. "The day I merge with No. 17 and No. 18 and become my 'Perfect Form'. No. 17! No. 18! You will be my key to becoming a God! Who is this one?" he noticed Android 16. "Judging by his Red Ribbon marking, I have to think he is one of Dr. Gero's Androids. Well, in any case, he is an older model. It will be okay to ignore him." jumping into the battle, the green Android powered up. "What are you going to do about it, Piccolo?" he walked past the stunned Namekian. "If you wish to interfere, go right ahead."

"For you to be powered up to that extent," Piccolo voiced. "Just how many people have you sacrificed?"

"Sacrifice?" Cell echoed. "Hmph! Rubbish! On the contrary, it is an honor to become a fraction of my power."

"What?" Piccolo growled.

* * *

At Kame's House...

"How can it be?" Krillin stammered. "Cell's Ki has gone up unbelievably!"

"It's all over now." Tien realized. "We're powerless! There's nothing we can do!"

"For Bulma to bring that controller to stop No. 17 and the others, it'll take her 20 minutes, however fast she may be." Master Roshii added.

"In that case, you could go and get this controller thing from her." Chi-Chi suggested. "Doing that would get it to you faster than just waiting around here."

"That's it!" Krillin realized.

"You guys are all soft in the head." Chi-Chi sighed. "That's how you get from doing nothing but fighting."

"I'm going to fly there and pick it up." Krillin voiced. "If I fly all-out, I'm a lot faster than Bulma's plane."

"Krillin..." Master Roshii muttered as Krillin took off.

"I'm going to help Piccolo." Tien decided. "Even if I can't do anything for him, it's better than just waiting here."

"Tien, get back here!" Master Roshii shouted as Tien shot off. "Do you want to throw your life away? Damn, there's not a thing I can do now. Goku, hurry and finish your training, and come back to us. You may get one year's worth of training in one day, but right now, that one day is too long."

_Goku, Gohan..._ Chi-Chi prayed.

* * *

At Kami's Lookout...

_Still not yet, Vegeta?_ Goku looked at the 'Hyperbolic Time Chamber' door worriedly.

* * *

In the battlefield...

"I don't know what you are, but you're in the way." Android 17 snorted. "Get lost at once. I'm playing with him right now."

"No. 17!" Piccolo warned. "He plans to kill you and absorb you into himself! Run!"

"What?" Android 17 gasped, barely dodging Cell's tail thrusts.

Trapping Android 17 under his feet, Cell chuckled as he readied his tail to absorb his target, only to have Piccolo kick him off Android 17.

"Sneak attack?" Android 17 frowned. "Toy with me, will you? What is this? This monster is going to absorb me?"

"In short, his name is Cell." Piccolo supplied. "And he's a beast that's been created up by Dr. Gero's computer. He's still incomplete, but once he absorbs you and No. 18, it seems that he will finally become his 'Perfect Form' and will be powerful enough to assimilate the Princess into himself and take on the Gods."

"What did he say?" Android 18 echoed.

"Rejoice, my siblings." Cell declared. "When you become part of my body, it will mean the birth of the perfect super-being, with power greater than any other. We will be the very ultimate warrior that Dr. Gero was pursuing all these years. And once the Divine Ki girl is a part of me, we will have the ability to ascend to godhood!"

"That's enough of your nonsense." Android 17 retorted. "You expect me to let myself be absorbed by the likes of you? And as for ultimate warriors, there's already one here." he pointed to himself.

"Your will is of no matter." Cell shrugged. "That you will be absorbed is already certain."

"I'm going to silence that troublesome mouth of yours." Android 17 swore.

"Get out of there, No. 17!" Android 16 shouted. "The enemy's battle power is far too great! He must not be allowed his 'Perfect Form'. His aim is no longer the death of Son Goku, he intends to rule over the whole Universe!"

"My, my." Android 17 tsked. "Here I'm thinking you finally have something decent to say, and you tell me to run away? Don't make me the fool!" he charged at Cell.

"Die!" Piccolo rushed to engage Cell after the green Android pummeled Android 17 to the ground.

Blocking Piccolo's punch and kick, Cell knocked him to the ground. Not giving Piccolo any chance to recover, he kicked him off.

"Dammit!" Piccolo got to his feet.

"Are both No. 17 and that guy like Piccolo just being sloppy?" Android 18 wondered.

"That isn't it." Android 16 replied. "This Cell guy is just too strong for them. You at least should run away, No. 18. No. 17 will not listen to my warning. If No. 17 is absorbed, he will be beyond anyone's control. It will be the end of the world."

"What are you going to do, No. 16?" Android 18 asked.

Using his last ditch effort, Piccolo charged up as Cell approached him. "You go to hell!"

"Yikes!" Android 17 gasped, realizing what Piccolo had intended to do and fled before Piccolo released his attack.

"Piccolo got him." Android 18 remarked after Piccolo blasted the green Android into the water.

"He did not get him." Android 16 corrected. "On the contrary, he has not even taken damage."

Piccolo was stunned as Cell levitated out from the water.

"How can this be?" the newly arrived Tien was shocked. "There's nothing that can be done. Our worlds are too different."

"Get out of here, No. 17!" Piccolo barked, only to be silenced by a punch from Cell.

"His neck is broken." Tien realized as Cell picked Piccolo up. "This is bad."

"It appears that I've gotten too strong for you, haven't I?" Cell taunted. "It's because I got overly enthusiastic and killed more humans for their energy than was necessary. See you around." he blasted a Ki blast into Piccolo's body with his other hand.

* * *

At Kame's Lookout...

Goku, Gohan and Ami were stuck by a chill down their spines, sensing Piccolo's Ki decreasing drastically.

* * *

In the battlefield...

"He did him in." Android 17 stammered.

With Namekian nearing death, Cell tossed Piccolo into the water.

* * *

At Kami's Lookout...

"His Ki has vanished." Goku gaped in horror. "Then we weren't on time?"

"Kami-sama!" Mr. PoPo wailed.

"Gohan." Goku voiced.

"Wait, Gohan!" Ami's voice echoed in her Divine Ki that was rippling around the entire Kami's Lookout.

"Piccolo!" Gohan screamed as his father held him back. "Piccolo!"

"Gohan, if you go now, you can't beat him." Goku reasoned. "Wait! In any case, all we can do is wait."

"Goku is right, Gohan." Ami agreed. "Be patient and wait. I can sense it; Piccolo is not yet dead. His Ki may have vanished, but not his 'Life Force' Ki. You have to believe and put your trust in him."

_Still not yet, Vegeta?_ Goku thought. _What are you doing?_

* * *

In the battlefield...

With Piccolo out of the way, Cell turned to Android 17.

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 11: Silent Warrior.


	12. Silent Warrior

SailorStar9: This is Chapter 11 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: With Piccolo gone, Android 17 has no choice but to fight Cell on his own or so it seems, that is until Android 16 launches a silent complaint by pummeling Cell with a fury of fisticuffs. As the battle rages on, it is easily noticeable that Android 16 is just as strong as Cell. Knowing the fight is at a stalemate Cell uses a desperate attempt to absorb Android 16 into his being, but due to the way 16 was built Cell is unable to complete the Androids demise. Android 16 proceeds to rip off Cell tail, ensuring that the greedy monster could never absorb anyone ever again, but Cell has Piccolo's regenerative ability, and instantly regrows his deadly tail. Can the silent giant Android 16 defeat Cell, and if not who can, perhaps this fight will buy Vegeta and Trunks the precious time they need to complete their training in the hyperbolic time chamber.

Chapter 11: Silent Warrior

* * *

At Kami's Lookout…

"I can't wait any longer!" Gohan shouted. "I don't want to wait! Father, I'm going! Why?" he muttered after Goku punched him back to the ground.

"I thought I told you to wait!" Goku scolded.

"But at this rate, everyone will become casualties of Cell." Gohan protested.

"Gohan, what your Dad says is right." Ami remarked, entering into the scene.

"Ami…" Gohan muttered.

"If you go now, you cannot defeat Cell." Ami advised. "You'll only increase the casualties by one."

"Even so… even so, it's better than just waiting around here, looking on as everyone else gets killed." Gohan insisted.

"You Saiyans only hope left in world to defeat Cell." Mr. Popo reminded. "If waste this important life, Kami-sama, no Piccolo, angry. Look." The pair looked over at the raging Goku.

_Vegeta, get out here, quick!_ Goku urged.

* * *

Back in the battlefield…

"Even having merged with Kami, he was still no match for me, all powered up." Cell snorted and turned his attention to Android 17. "Sorry to keep you waiting. You will cease all your useless resistance. Since you're going to be absorbed anyway, there will be no pained feelings. I will be taking you very shortly." He told Android 18.

"If you're coming at me, then come on!" Android 17 growled at the charging Cell. "Useless resistance, you say?" and charged at Cell. "I won't be had so easily. You monstrous punk!" he leapt into the air and crashed into Cell, only to have the green Android dodge the attack and jump onto him from the air. Android 17 backed off from the pending assault. "You expect me to let you absorb me?" he dodged Cell's tail whip.

Cell ignored him and the two combatants took the battle to the air, resulting in Android 17 being smacked away by Cell's tail.

Pulling a stop, Android 17 was then alerted by Cell's presence in front of him, the male Android forced to dodge another series of tail jabs.

_This is bad._ Tien thought as he watched the battle. _The difference in their power is too great._

Android 17 was thrown back to the ground as Cell continued his relentless pummel on his victim.

"What's wrong?" Cell taunted the severely injured Android. "I thought you weren't going to be had so easily, right? This is why I told you to cease your useless resistance."

"It certainly appears that I'd be better off running away." Android 18 admitted.

"Yeah, that's right." Android 16 agreed. "Escape by yourself. If you and No. 17 are absorbed, that's when the end comes. For the world, that is."

"What are you going to do?" Android 18 asked.

"I'm going to destroy Cell." Android 16 replied. "The time for me to fight has come, even before encountering Goku."

"What are you going to do, No. 16?" Android 18 shouted. "Stop, you'll be killed."

"You guys are good folks." Android 16 told her. "You didn't take the lives of either humans or animals for the fun of it. I enjoyed traveling together with you."

"What does he think he's doing?" Tien wondered as Android 16 entered the battle. "Is he thinking of fighting with Cell?"

"Looks as though you don't even have the power to get up." Cell snorted. "Isn't it about time you let me absorb you?"

"Let me go, you ugly monstrous freak!" Android 17 demanded when Cell picked him up. "Just looking at that squashed bug-looking face of yours makes me want to puke."

"Babble all you want." Cell shrugged. "You're about to become one with this 'monstrous freak'."

"Dammit!" Android 17 struggled against Cell's grip.

Silencing the resistant Android with a punch on the back, Cell then struck out his elongated tail, the tip widening to take in Android 17. "And now, I will have you."

"Damn you monster!" Android 17 was trying to push the widened tail off of him.

Resting a hand on Cell's shoulder, Android 16 caught the green Android's attention and sent him flying off with a punch across the face.

"So, another reckless fool appears, huh?" Cell remarked, having been forced to drop Android 17.

"What are you doing, No. 16?" Android 17 asked. "Don't tell me you intend to fight?"

"There is no other way." Android 16 replied.

"Are you planning on getting yourself destroyed?" Android 17 inquired.

"By my calculations, Cell and I possess about equal power." Android 16 replied.

"What?" Android 17 gasped as Android 16 stepped up and charged as Cell, the two combatants engaging in a fist fight.

"He's fighting blow-to-blow with Cell." Tien was astonished.

Breaking off for a while, the two charged at each other again.

Punching Android 16 off, Cell then stabbed his tail into his neck.

"Hmph, how simple." The green Android snorted. "So, shall I absorb you then? You're…" he gasped, when he found out that he could not take in Android 16. "Damn, you're completely robot!" he cursed as Android 16 grabbed his tail.

Taking to the air, Android 16 slammed Cell into the ground.

"Oh, your speed is really something." Cell noted, taking into the air as Android 16 following him closely behind. "Well, how about this?" he shot back to the battleground, making Android 16 followed him. Pulling a stop, the green Android then landed a kick onto Android 16's stomach.

Android 16 retaliated with a head-butt, causing Cell to crash into a cliff.

"My tail isn't just there for the purpose of absorbing things." Cell dodged Android 16's charge and wrapped his tail around the robot's neck. "Goodbye." He entangled another round around Android 16's neck and charged up a Ki blast.

Releasing his eye lasers at Cell, Android 16 blasted the green Android to the ground. Landing at the base of Cell's tail, Android 16 then tore the appendage off.

"He did it." Tien gasped.

"Now you will no longer be able to absorb No. 17 and No. 18." Android 16 declared.

"He's really gotten him for us." Tien chuckled.

"What a pity huh?" Cell snorted, getting up. "I have Piccolo's cells incorporated within me." With a roar, he regrew his tail. "I can regenerate myself, at least to an extent such as this."

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for Chapter 12: Say Goodbye, 17.


	13. Say Goodbye, 17

SailorStar9: This is Chapter 12 of the Incomplete Cell Saga. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Only the plot is mine.

Chapter Summary: The battle between Android 16 and Cell continue. Cell tries to counter-attack but falls short to Android 16's Inferno Flash. Android 16 warns Android 17 and Android 18 to quickly leave the battlefield. But before they could do so, Cell sneaks up behind Android 17 and quickly absorbs him. Cell has transformed, and his next task is to absorb Android 18 to become complete. Android 16 is no match for the second form of Cell, and is mortally wounded. Is there anyone left who can stop Cell from achieving perfection?

Chapter 12: Say Goodbye, 17

* * *

"Then , in order to keep you from becoming your 'Perfect Form', there's nothing I can do but squash the very life out of you." Android 16 declared.

"Such a thing is impossible, however." Cell pointed out.

"I won't know until I try." Android 16 remarked.

"I do know." Cell stated and the two adversaries restarted the battle with Cell winning the fight shortly after it begun.

Getting up, Android 16 sent his detached hand flying towards the charging Cell, before reclaiming his disconnected limb and sending Cell onto the ground with a left hook. With a war cry, he tossed Cell onto the earth. Removing both his hands, he pointed his cannons into the ditch Cell was in. "Hell's Flash!" he released the attack into the hole.

At Kami's Lookout…

"Father…" Gohan started.

"Yeah, I felt it too." Ami agreed.

"The Cell guy's Ki has suddenly gotten small." Gohan remarked.

"I don't know who you are, but keep it up." Goku noted. "Until Vegeta and Trunks finish their training."

* * *

Back in the battlefield…

"Unbelievable." Tien was stunned.

"He's that strong?" even Android 17 was shocked. "No. 16…"

"Incredible…" Android 18 gaped.

"Are you still here?" Android 16 barked. "I thought I told you to get away, No. 18!"

"It's okay now, isn't it?" Android 18 remarked. "You've taken care of him."

"I haven't beaten him at all!" Android 16 retorted. "He has to have taken damage, but he's not the kind of opponent to die from such an attack. No. 17, while you have a chance. You get out of here too!"

"Get out of here, you say?" Android 17 snorted. "You've got to be joking. He's given me a rough time of it, and you expect me to run off without scaring the hell out of him? He's taken damage, right? Then I'll finish him off with my own hands. Come on out, you monstrous freak! What's the matter? Weren't you going to absorb me? I will neither run nor hide. Not until I've squeezed your life's breath from you."

"No. 17!" Tien warned as Cell emerged from the ridge behind Android 17. "Behind you, it's Cell!"

"As you wish, I've come forward." Cell declared behind the stunned Android 17, the tail tip enlarged to take in the Android.

"Oh hell!" Android 196 cursed, rushing in to save Android 17 from being absorbed.

"He swallowed him." Tien gasped in horror after Cell claimed Android 17 into his body.

With a groan, Cell evolved into his 'Semi-Perfect Form'.

"Run away, No. 18!" Android 16 dashed back to the remaining unabsorbed Android. "What are you doing? Run! You'd better get out of here too." He told Tien.

* * *

At Kami's Lookout…

"Cell's Ki has billowed up incredibly." Ami gasped, sensing the sharp increase in Cell's Ki. "This isn't good. No. 17. or No. 18, one of them appears to have been absorbed by Cell."

* * *

Back in the battlefield…

"Come on, let's get out of here. Mo. 18." Android 16 grabbed Android 18 and took off. "What incredible speed!" he was stunned when Cell blasted straight past them, preventing their escape.

"This is bad." Tien realized. "This is really bad."

"Did you think you would be able to escape from me?" Cell taunted.

"Forgive me, Chaozu." Tien muttered. "I just might die."

"Even I myself am surprised at my magnificent speed." Cell looked at his new form in the water. "Of course this is due to absorbing No. 17. I wonder how my power is." Not even flinching from Android 16's punch, Cell blasted him away with a Ki attack. "Oh, it appears to have gone up quite a bit as well." He flexed his wrist, the blast having damaged Android 16's head. "Now then," he looked at Android 18. "That's good. You at least understand that trying to escape from me is an utter waste of effort. You're a sharp one. And so, now it's your turn." He licked his lips. "Together, let's create the 'Perfect Form'."

"Just try coming closer." Android 187 threatened, a hand over her self-destruct mechanism over her chest. "I'll blow myself up if you do. If I die on you, you're screwed, right?"

"Do you hear my voice, No. 18?" Cell used Android 17's voice. "It's me, No. 17. I've now joined bodies with Cell. It's a great sensation. It's wonderful. You should have yourself absorbed right away. Only by doing that can we become the ultimate life form."

"No. 17…" Android 18 muttered.

"Don't fall for it, No. 18." Android 16 warned. "That is Cell. He's only using No. 17's voice."

"You keep your unnecessary remarks out of this." Cell barked. "Be silent. Robots cannot understand our feelings. Come No. 18. There is no losing your way. Hurry and become one with us, and obtain the greatest power." He imitated into Android 17's voice once again. "Then we will carry out Dr. Gero-sama's will, defeating Goku and absorbing the Divine Ki girl and placing the entire Universe in our hands."

"You're not No. 17!" Android 18 snapped. "We hated Dr. Gero for reconstructing us as he pleased. Under no circumstances would he ever say 'Dr. Gero-sama'!"

"Having come to this, I will absorb you, even if I have to force you." Cell remarked. "Cut out the useless resistance." He smirked, seeing Android 18's hand over her self-destruct mechanism. "For you to launch an energy blast, you will need a moment to charge it. There's a possibility that I can move sooner than that and prevent your suicide. Give it up."

"Damn it!" the gravely injured Android 16 cursed.

"Small fry!" Cell looked up at Tien who was readying his attack. "What the hell are you trying to do?"

"Shin-Kikoho!" Tien released his attack.

* * *

At Kami's Lookout…

"This Ki…" Goku gasped in shock.

"It's Tien's Ki!" Gohan realized.

"Don't tell me Tien is taking on Cell!" Goku exclaimed.

"But this surge in Ki…" Ami gaped. "Don't tell me… he's forced to use… that…"

* * *

Back in the battlefield…

"What are you doing here?" Tien barked at the stunned Androids. "Get out of here, now!"

"Why you!" Cell cursed, charging back up to the surface from the hole Tien blasted him into.

Tien released another 'Shin-Kikoho' at Cell, forcing the green Android back into the hole.

"Can you fly?" Android 18 took this chance to get by Android 16's side.

"Yeah, more or less." Android 16 replied as Tien fired the third 'Shin-Kikoho', followed by a fourth, then the fifth.

* * *

At Kami's Lookout…

"Cut it out!" Ami warned in worry after the eighth 'Shin-Kikoho'. "Stop it already! Stop it, TIen! If you use the 'Kikoho' technique more than this, you'll die."

"Stop it, Tien!" Goku warned.

* * *

SailorStar9: Phew, another chapter down. Stay tuned for the next Book of 'When Destiny Calls: Perfect Cell saga'.


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